"action of altering (something) so as to change its nature," 1845, earlier in French and German; see denature + noun ending -ation.
Entries linking to denaturation
denature v.
"alter (something) so as to change its nature," 1878, from French dénaturer (Old French desnaturer "change the nature of; make unnatural"); see de- + nature. Earlier it meant "to make unnatural" (1680s). Earlier in the modern sense of denature was denaturalize (1812). Related: Denatured.