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catabolism

ca·tab·o·lism [ kə tábbə lìzzəm ] or ka·tab·o·lism [ kə tábbə lìzzəm ]


noun 
Definition:
 
metabolism: the production of energy through the conversion of complex molecules into simpler ones

[Late 19th century. < Greek katabolē "throwing down" < ballein "to throw"]

cat·a·bol·ic [ kàttə bóllik ] adjective
cat·a·bol·i·cal·ly adverb
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