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polypeptide

|pol/y/pep/tide|

C1

/ˌpɒliˈpɛptaɪd/

chains of amino acids

Etymology
Etymology Information

'polypeptide' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'polus' meaning 'many' and 'peptos' meaning 'digested'.

Historical Evolution

'polypeptide' was formed in the 20th century from the combination of 'poly-' and 'peptide'.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it referred to any chain of amino acids, and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Noun 1

a polymer consisting of a chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds, forming part of or the whole of a protein molecule.

Insulin is a polypeptide hormone.

Synonyms

Last updated: 2025/02/17 06:10