*zym*

a. (Med.) Preventing fermentation or decomposition. -- n. An agent so used. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ F. azyme unleavened, L. azymus, fr. Gr. &unr_;; 'a priv. + &unr_; leaven. ] Unleavened bread. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Azymous. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. azymite. ] (Eccl. Hist.) One who administered the Eucharist with unleavened bread; -- a name of reproach given by those of the Greek church to the Latins. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Azym. ] Unleavened; unfermented. “Azymous bread.” Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Biochem.) a molecule that is essential for the activity of some enzymes; it may exist free in solution within a living organism, but functions by binding to an enzyme to assist in catalyzing a reaction. The molecule itself may be temporarily changed during the reaction, but is ultimately restored to its original form. Many vitamins function as coenzymes. [ PJC ]

(Biochem.) a coenzyme (C21H36N7O16P3S) that participates in the transfer of acetyl groups in biochemical reactions; -- abbreviated CoA. It contains adenosine, phosphate, pantothenic acid and cysteamine groups. The acetyl group to be transferred during biosynthesis is temporarily attached to the free sulhydryl of the cysteamine group to form a thioester, in which state it is called acetyl coenzyme A. The strength of a preparation of coenzyme A may be expressed by the Lippman unit; one milligram of CoA contains 413 Lippman units. [ PJC ]

n. [ Pref. en- (Gr. 'en in) + Gr. zy`mh leaven. ] (Physiol. Chem.) A protein produced by a living organism, capable of catalyzing a chemical reaction. Almost all processes in living organisms require some form of enzyme to cause the reactions to occur at a rate sufficient to support life. There are a very wide variety of enzymes, each specifically catalyzing a different chemical reaction, the sum of which cause the bulk of the physiological changes observed as life processes. Enzymes, like most proteins, are synthesized by the protein-synthetic mechanism of the living cell, at special sites on ribosomes, using the genetic information in messenger RNA transcribed from the genetic instructions stored as nuleotide sequences in the DNA (or in some viruses, the RNA) of the genome. Some examples of enzymes are: pepsin, diastase, rennet, DNA polymerase, invertase, glucose oxidase, protease, and ribonuclease. There are many other types of enzyme. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

The 1913 Webster defined an enzyme as:
An unorganized or unformed ferment, in distinction from an organized or living ferment; a soluble, or chemical, ferment. [ PJC ]

n. [ Gr. 'eryqro`s red + &unr_; leaven. ] (Physiol. Chem.) A ferment extracted from madder root, possessing the power of inducing alcoholic fermentation in solutions of sugar. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; tissue + &unr_; leaven. ] (Physiol. Chem.) A soluble enzyme occurring in the animal body, to the presence of which many normal decompositions and synthetical processes are supposed to be due. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Micro- + Gr. zy`mh leaven. ] (Biol.) A microorganism which is supposed to act like a ferment in causing or propagating certain infectious or contagious diseases; a pathogenic bacterial organism. [ obsolete ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ . ] (Bioch.) Any one of a class of proteins that are converted, in the normal course of cellular metabolism, into one or more active enzymes; also called zymogen. The conversion usually is due to a specific cleavage of a peptide bond by another enzyme, or may be due to acid. [ PJC ]

n. [ From Zyme. ] (Physiol. Chem.) A soluble ferment, or enzyme. See Enzyme. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; leaven. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A ferment. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) The morbific principle of a zymotic disease. Quain. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Old Chem.) Pertaining to, or produced by, fermentation; -- formerly, by confusion, used to designate lactic acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Zyme + -gen. ] (Physiol. Chem.) A mother substance, or antecedent, of an enzyme or chemical ferment; -- applied to such substances as, not being themselves actual ferments, may by internal changes give rise to a ferment. [ 1913 Webster ]

The pancreas contains but little ready-made ferment, though there is present in it a body, zymogen, which gives birth to the ferment. Foster. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Zyme + root of Gr. &unr_; to be born. ] (Biol.) One of a physiological group of globular bacteria which produces fermentations of diverse nature; -- distinguished from pathogene. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Biol.) (a) Pertaining to, or formed by, a zymogene. (b) Capable of producing a definite zymogen or ferment. [ 1913 Webster ]

Zymogenic organism (Biol.), a microorganism, such as the yeast plant of the Bacterium lactis, which sets up certain fermentative processes by which definite chemical products are formed; -- distinguished from a pathogenic organism. Cf. Micrococcus. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Cf. F. zymologique. ] Of or pertaining to zymology. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who is skilled in zymology, or in the fermentation of liquors. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Zyme + -logy: cf. F. zymologie. ] A treatise on the fermentation of liquors, or the doctrine of fermentation. [ Written also zumology. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL. See Zyme, and Lysis. ] (Physiol. Chem.) The action of enzymes, such as digestion or fermentation; also, the changes produced by such action. -- Zy`mo*lyt"ic a. [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]

n. [ Gr. zy`mwma a fermented mixture. ] (Old Chem.) A glutinous substance, insoluble in alcohol, resembling legumin; -- now called vegetable fibrin, vegetable albumin, or gluten casein. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Zyme + Gr. fyto`n a plant. ] (Physiol. Chem.) A bacteroid ferment. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Zyme + -scope. ] (Physiol. Chem.) An apparatus for determining the fermenting power of yeast by measuring the amount of carbonic acid evolved from a given quantity of sugar.

n. (Chem.) Invertin. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ Gr. zy`mh ferment, or zy`mwsis fermentation + -meter: cf. F. zymosimètre. ] An instrument for ascertaining the degree of fermentation occasioned by the mixture of different liquids, and the degree of heat which they acquire in fermentation. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ n. [ NL., fr. Gr. zymwtiko`s fermentation, fr. zy`mh ferment. ] (Med.) (a) A fermentation; hence, an analogous process by which an infectious disease is believed to be developed. (b) A zymotic disease. [ R. ] The medical usage is now (2004) archaic. -- PJC. [ 1913 Webster ]