enzyme

noun ahn-ZIM Rare

Origin: From Greek 'en zyme' (in leaven).

Usage Note

Enzyme is feminine in French despite ending in '-e' after a consonant cluster, which surprises learners expecting a masculine noun. The plural les enzymes is used freely in biology and nutrition contexts. Une enzyme digestive refers to a digestive enzyme involved in breaking down food.

Examples

"Cette enzyme accélère la digestion."

Natural Translation

This enzyme speeds up digestion.

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