zymogen

Z10Y4M3O1G2E1N1

noun

A proenzyme, or enzyme precursor, which requires a biochemical change (i.e. hydrolysis) to become an active form of the enzyme.

Similar
proenzyme
OriginAncient Greek γένος (génos) ← Proto-Hellenic *génos ← Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁os →
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Meanings

nounzymogen (plural zymogens)

plural zymogens

  1. biochemistryA proenzyme, or enzyme precursor, which requires a biochemical change (i.e. hydrolysis) to become an active form of the enzyme.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounany of a group of compounds that are inactive precursors of enzymes and require some change (such as the hydrolysis of a fragment that masks an active enzyme) to become active

Similar
proenzyme
Broader
organic compound
Also see
proenzyme

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*yéwHs
  2. Proto-Indo-European*yúHs-meh₂
  3. Ancient Greekζῡ́μη (zū́mē)
  4. Englishzymo-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*ǵenh₁-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*ǵénh₁os
  7. Proto-Hellenic*génos
  8. Ancient Greekγένος (génos)
  9. Englishzymogen

From zymo- + -gen.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch zimogeen
  • zimogeeninactive precursor of an enzyme
Indonesian zimogen
  • zimogeninactive precursor of an enzyme
Japanese 酵素前駆体
  • 酵素前駆体 (kousozenkutai)inactive precursor of an enzyme
Romanian zimogen
  • zimogeninactive precursor of an enzyme
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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