pepsin
Americannoun
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an enzyme, produced in the stomach, that in the presence of hydrochloric acid splits proteins into proteoses and peptones.
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a commercial form of this substance, obtained from the stomachs of hogs, used as a digestive, as a ferment in the manufacture of cheese, etc.
noun
Etymology
Origin of pepsin
1835–45; < Greek péps ( is ) digestion ( pep-, base of péptein to digest + -sis -sis ) + -in 2
Vocabulary lists containing pepsin
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
First, as previously mentioned, the enzyme pepsin is synthesized in the inactive form.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
Proteins are broken down by the enzymes pepsin and peptidase, and by hydrochloric acid.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
When digesting protein and some fats, the stomach lining must be protected from getting digested by pepsin.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
In the stomach, pepsin is produced to break down plant material.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
The soft drink had been named for the digestive enzyme pepsin, he sagely told us, and so was suited to the task.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
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