A special protein in living things that speeds up chemical reactions in the body, like digesting food or copying DNA. Enzymes make reactions happen faster and more efficiently without being used up themselves.
From Modern Latin *enzymum*, from Greek *enzymos* meaning 'leavened' or 'in yeast', from *en-* 'in' and *zymē* 'leaven, ferment'. Early scientists named them after yeast because they noticed similar fermenting and transforming powers.
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