enzyme

Where does the word "enzyme" come from? It comes from Greek zýmē, passing through German before entering English (1880s).

Enzyme’s story begins in Greek: zýmē meant “leaven.” 'leaven', the yeast that makes bread rise. By 1877, the word had taken hold in German as Enzym. The physiologist Wilhelm Kühne of Heidelberg coined it in 1877 from Greek en zymē, 'in yeast', for ferments working outside living cells. It reached English by 1880s as enzyme. Eduard Buchner's 1897 proof that yeast juice without living cells still ferments sugar won him the 1907 Nobel Prize. Today, enzyme means a protein that speeds up a chemical reaction in living things.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient zýmē "leaven", 'leaven', the yeast that makes bread rise.
2. Stage 2 · German · 1877 Enzym "enzyme", the physiologist Wilhelm Kühne of Heidelberg coined it in 1877 from Greek en zymē, 'in yeast', for ferments working outside living cells.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1880s enzyme "biological catalyst", Eduard Buchner's 1897 proof that yeast juice without living cells still ferments sugar won him the 1907 Nobel Prize.