elastase

E1L1A1S1T1A1S1E1

noun

An endopeptidase enzyme involved in the breakdown of elastin.

OriginEnglish diastase ← Ancient Greek δῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs) ← Proto-Hellenic *hístāmi →
UncommonScrabble 8
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Meanings

nounelastase (countable and uncountable, plural elastases)

plural elastases

  1. countableuncountableAn endopeptidase enzyme involved in the breakdown of elastin.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁elh₂-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₁l̥h₂-tós
  3. Ancient Greekἐλᾰστός (elăstós)
  4. New Latinelasticu
  5. Frenchélastique
  6. Englishelastic
  7. Englishelastin
  8. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  9. Proto-Indo-European*trísinflu.
  10. Proto-Indo-European*dwís
  11. Ancient Greekδιά (diá)
  12. Ancient Greekδῐᾰ- (dĭă-)
  13. Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*stísteh₂ti
  15. Proto-Hellenic*hístāmi
  16. Ancient Greekῐ̔́στημῐ (hĭ́stēmĭ)
  17. Ancient Greekδῐῐ̈́στημῐ (dĭĭ̈́stēmĭ)
  18. Ancient Greekδῐᾰ́στᾰσῐς (dĭắstăsĭs)
  19. Englishdiastase
  20. Englishelastase

From elastin + -ase.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

elastase. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elastase

MLA

“elastase.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elastase. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “elastase,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elastase.

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