lysozyme

[ lahy-suh-zahym ]
/ ˈlaɪ səˌzaɪm /

noun Biochemistry.

an enzyme that is destructive of bacteria and functions as an antiseptic, found in tears, leukocytes, mucus, egg albumin, and certain plants.

Origin of lysozyme

First recorded in 1920–25; lyso- + (en)zyme

Words nearby lysozyme

lysogeny, lysokinase, lysol, lysosomal disease, lysosome, lysozyme, lyssa, lyssavirus, lyssophobia, lytham saint anne's, lythraceous

British Dictionary definitions for lysozyme

lysozyme
/ (ˈlaɪsəˌzaɪm) /

noun

an enzyme occurring in tears, certain body tissues, and egg white: destroys bacteria by hydrolysing polysaccharides in their cell walls

Word Origin for lysozyme

C20: from lyso- + ( en) zyme

Medical definitions for lysozyme

lysozyme
[ lī′sə-zīm′ ]

n.

An enzyme occurring naturally in egg white, human tears, saliva, and other body fluids, capable of destroying the cell walls of certain bacteria and thereby acting as a mild antiseptic. muramidase