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Definition of protein - 8 dictionary results
pro⋅tein
[proh-teen, -tee-in] 
–noun
| 1. | Biochemistry. any of numerous, highly varied organic molecules constituting a large portion of the mass of every life form and necessary in the diet of all animals and other nonphotosynthesizing organisms, composed of 20 or more amino acids linked in a genetically controlled linear sequence into one or more long polypeptide chains, the final shape and other properties of each protein being determined by the side chains of the amino acids and their chemical attachments: proteins include such specialized forms as collagen for supportive tissue, hemoglobin for transport, antibodies for immune defense, and enzymes for metabolism. |
| 2. | the plant or animal tissue rich in such molecules, considered as a food source supplying essential amino acids to the body. |
| 3. | (formerly) a substance thought to be the essential nitrogenous component of all organic bodies. |
–adjective
| 4. | Biochemistry. of the nature of or containing protein. |
Also, pro⋅teid [proh-teed, -tee-id] .
[proh-teed, -tee-id] .Related forms:
pro⋅tein⋅a⋅ceous [proh-tee-ney-shuh
s, -tee-i-ney-] , pro⋅tein⋅ic, pro⋅tei⋅nous, adjective
[proh-tee-ney-shuhs, -tee-i-ney-] , pro⋅tein⋅ic, pro⋅tei⋅nous, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To protein
| pro·tein (prō'tēn', -tē-ĭn) n. Any of a group of complex organic macromolecules that contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and usually sulfur and are composed of one or more chains of amino acids. Proteins are fundamental components of all living cells and include many substances, such as enzymes, hormones, and antibodies, that are necessary for the proper functioning of an organism. They are essential in the diet of animals for the growth and repair of tissue and can be obtained from foods such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, and legumes. [French protéine, from Late Greek prōteios, of the first quality, from Greek prōtos, first; see per1 in Indo-European roots.] pro'tein·a'ceous (prōt'n-ā'shəs, prō'tē-nā'-), pro·tein'ic (prō-tē'nĭk), pro·tein'ous (prō-tē'nəs) adj. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Protein
Pro"te*in\, n. (Physiol. Chem.) In chemical analysis, the total nitrogenous material in vegetable or animal substances, obtained by multiplying the total nitrogen found by a factor, usually 6.25, assuming most proteids to contain approximately 16 per cent of nitrogen.Protein
Pro"te*in\, n. [Gr. prw^tos first: cf. prwtei^on the first place.] (Physiol. Chem.) A body now known as alkali albumin, but originally considered to be the basis of all albuminous substances, whence its name. Protein crystal. (Bot.) See Crystalloid, n., 2.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : protein
Spanish:
proteína,
German:
das Protein,
Japanese:
タンパク質
protein
1844, from Fr. protéine, coined 1838 by Du. chemist Gerhard Johan Mulder (1802-1880), perhaps on suggestion of Berzelius, from Gk. proteios "the first quality," from protos "first." Originally a theoretical substance thought to be essential to life, the modern use is from Ger. Protein, borrowed in Eng. 1907.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: pro·tein
Pronunciation: 'prO-"tEn, 'prOt-E-&n
Function: noun
often attributive 1 : any of numerous naturally occurringextremely complex substances (as an enzyme or antibody) that consist of amino acid residues joined by peptide bonds, contain the elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, usually sulfur, and occas.other elements (as phosphorus or iron), that are essential constituents of all living cells, that are synthesized from raw materials by plants but assimilated as separate amino acids by animals, thatare both acidic and basic and usually colloidal in nature although many have been crystallized, and that are hydrolyzable by acids, alkalies, proteolytic enzymes, and putrefactive bacteria topolypeptides, to simpler peptides, and ultimately to alpha-amino acids
2 : the total nitrogenous material in plant or animal substances; especially :
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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protein pro·tein (prō'tēn', -tē-ĭn)
n.
Any of a group of complex organic macromolecules that contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and usually sulfur and are composed of chains of alpha-amino acids. Proteins are fundamental components of all living cells and include many substances, such as enzymes, hormones, and antibodies, that are necessary to the functioning of an organism. They are essential in the diet of animals for the growth and repair of tissue and can be obtained from foods such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, and legumes.
pro'tein·a'ceous (prōt'n-ā'shəs, prō'tē-nā'-) adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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| protein (prō'tēn') Pronunciation Key
Any of a large class of complex organic chemical compounds that are essential for life. Proteins play a central role in biological processes and form the basis of living tissues. They consist of long chains of amino acids connected by peptide bonds and have distinct and varied three-dimensional structures, usually containing alpha helices and beta sheets as well as looping and folded chains. Enzymes, antibodies, and hemoglobin are examples of proteins. Our Living Language : Proteins are the true workhorses of the body, carrying out most of the chemical processes and making up the majority of cellular structures. Proteins are made up of long chains of amino acids, but they don't resemble linear pieces of spaghetti. The atoms in these long chains have their own attractive and repulsive properties. Some of the amino acids can form bonds with other molecules in the chain, kinking and twisting and folding into complicated, three-dimensional shapes, such as helixes or densely furrowed globular structures. These folded shapes are immensely important because they define the protein's function in the cell. Some protein shapes fit perfectly in cell receptors, turning chemical processes on and off, like a key in a lock, whereas others work to transport molecules throughout the body (hemoglobin's shape is ideal for carrying oxygen). When proteins fail to take on their preordained shapes, there can be serious consequences: misfolded proteins have been implicated in diseases such as Alzheimer's, mad cow, and Parkinson's, among others. Exactly how proteins are able to fold into their required shapes is poorly understood and remains a fundamental question in biochemistry. See more at prion. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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