Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "decarboxylate" ita ce cire ƙungiyar carboxyl (-COOH) daga kwayoyin halitta, yawanci ta hanyar sinadarai. Wannan tsari yana haifar da asarar carbon dioxide (CO2) daga kwayoyin halitta. Decarboxylation wani abu ne na gama-gari a cikin sinadarai na kwayoyin halitta da kuma biochemistry, kuma galibi ana amfani da su wajen hada hadaddiyar kwayoyin halitta ko a cikin rushewar kwayoyin halittu kamar amino acid ko fatty acids.