cathepsin

C3A1T1H4E1P3S1I1N1
/kəˈθɛpsɪn/

noun

Any of a family of proteases primarily active within lysosomes.

OriginGerman Kathepsin ← Ancient Greek καθέψω →
UncommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

nouncathepsin (plural cathepsins)

plural cathepsins

  1. biochemistryAny of a family of proteases primarily active within lysosomes.

    Grassmann and Dyckerhoff (1930) showed that cysteine and cyanide inhibited the action of ereptic aminopolyase, while they accelerated the action of proteases such as cathepsin.

    1931, A Pirie, BE Holmes, “The cause of inactivation of the Rous sarcoma filtrate during incubation”, in British journal of experimental pathology

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekκαθέψω
  2. GermanKathepsin
  3. Englishcathepsin

Borrowed from German Kathepsin, from Ancient Greek καθέψω (kathépsō), from κατά (katá, “down”) + ἕψω (hépsō, “boil”).

More words from German, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

stephanic
Cite this entry
APA

cathepsin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cathepsin

MLA

“cathepsin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cathepsin. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cathepsin,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cathepsin.

Source: cathepsin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.