Meanings
plural lysozymes
- biochemistryA bacteriolytic (or antibiotic) enzyme found in many animal secretions, and in egg white.
[Alexander Fleming] had in 1923 discovered lysozyme, an antimicrobial enzyme found in saliva, mucus and tears as part of the body’s first line of defence against invading pathogens.
2019, Bill Bryson, The Body: A Guide for Occupants, Black Swan (2020), pages 47–48Synonyms: E1105 when used as a preservative
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA bacteriolytic (or antibiotic) enzyme found in many animal secretions, and in egg white.
More synonyms by meaning
nounan enzyme found in saliva and sweat and tears that destroys the cell walls of certain bacteria
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*lewh₁-
- Ancient Greekλύω (lúō)
- Ancient Greekλῠ́σῐς (lŭ́sĭs)
- Englishlyso-
- Latinde
- Russianдэ (dɛ)
- Englishde
- EnglishEnzym
- Englishenzyme
- Englishlysozyme
Translations
Catalan lisozim
- lisozimbacteriolytic enzyme
Chinese Mandarin 溶菌酶
- 溶菌酶 (róngjūnméi)bacteriolytic enzyme
Finnish lysotsyymi
- lysotsyymibacteriolytic enzyme
German Lysozym
- Lysozymbacteriolytic enzyme
Hungarian lizozim
- lizozimbacteriolytic enzyme
Spanish lisozima
- lisozimabacteriolytic enzyme
Cite this entry
lysozyme. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lysozyme
“lysozyme.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lysozyme. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lysozyme,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lysozyme.
Source: lysozyme on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.