Meanings
nounpapain (countable and uncountable, plural papains)
plural papains
- countableuncountablebiochemistryA proteolytic enzyme in papaya fruit which can be used to tenderize meat.
Origin
Attested since the late 1800s. From papaya + -in.
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
papain. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/papain
MLA
“papain.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/papain. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “papain,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/papain.
Source: papain on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.