1. proteins that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms
Usage: biology; plural of enzyme

Examples

• Digestive enzymes help break down food in the stomach.
• The enzymes in saliva begin breaking down starches immediately.
• Without proper enzymes, many metabolic processes would be too slow to sustain life.
• Laundry detergents often contain enzymes to remove protein stains.
• The scientist studied how temperature affects enzyme activity.
• Certain enzymes are essential for DNA replication.
• Industrial processes use enzymes to manufacture various products.