Peptide
/ˈpɛp.taɪd/noun
A compound made of two or more amino acids linked in a chain.
Did you know?Peptide’s ancient root is related to the same Indo-European source that ultimately produced English words such as “cook” and “kitchen.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pekw-
“To cook, ripen, or prepare by heat”
Ancient Greek
Greek
péptō (πέπτω)
“To digest or cook”
Ancient Greek
Greek
peptós (πεπτός)
“Digested or cooked”
19th Century
German
Peptid
“A chemical compound related to peptones, formed from the Greek root for digestion”
1900
English
peptide
“A compound formed by linking amino-acid residues”
Modern English
English
peptide
“A short chain of amino acids functioning as a biological molecule”