enzima
enzyme
noun en-SEE-mah Rare
Origin: From German Enzym, from Greek en ('in') + zyme ('leaven').
Usage Note
Enzima is feminine in standard Spanish (la enzima), though some scientific texts use the masculine el enzima — the RAE accepts both genders. It refers to a biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions. The adjective is enzimático/a; enzimología is the study of enzymes.
Examples
"La enzima digestiva descompone las proteínas en el estómago."
Natural Translation
The digestive enzyme breaks down proteins in the stomach.
Related Words
Explore Spanish by topic
SpanishNow
6 min read
SpanishNow
6 min read