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enzyme
The definition of an enzyme is a protein created by an organism that increases the rate at which chemical reactions occur.
Facts About Enzymes
- There are three different types of enzymes - digestive, metabolic, and food enzymes.
- Enzymes have a part in digestion, in the breaking down of vitamins or nutrients that you ingest, in building cells, and in reactions that transform energy into a usable source for the body.
- Some of the enzymes that are vital to the digestive process include pepsin, and trypsin which help break down proteins in the digestive track, and convert them into amino acids.
- Enzymes are organic compounds that are composed of amino acids.
An example of an enzyme is a digestive enzyme such as pepsin.
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See enzyme in Webster's New World College Dictionary
noun
any of various proteins, formed in plant and animal cells or made synthetically, that act as organic catalysts in initiating or speeding up specific chemical reactions and that usually become inactive or unstable above c. 50°C (122°F)
Origin: Ger enzym < LGr enzymos, leavened < Gr en-, in + zymē, leaven (see zyme)
See enzyme in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
Any of numerous proteins or conjugated proteins produced by living organisms and functioning as biochemical catalysts.
Origin:
Origin: German Enzym
Origin: , from Medieval Greek enzūmos, leavened
Origin: : Greek en-, in; see en-2
Origin: + Greek zūmē, leaven, yeast
.Related Forms:
- enˌzy·matˈic (-zə-mătˈĭk), en·zyˈmic (-zīˈmĭk, -zĭmˈĭk) adjective
- enˌzy·matˈi·cal·ly, en·zyˈmi·cal·ly adverb
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