peptide

American

[pep-tahyd] / ˈpɛp taɪd /

noun

Biochemistry.

a compound containing two or more amino acids in which the carboxyl group of one acid is linked to the amino group of the other.

peptide British

/ ˈpɛptaɪd /

noun

any of a group of compounds consisting of two or more amino acids linked by chemical bonding between their respective carboxyl and amino groups See also peptide bond polypeptide

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

peptide Scientific

/ pĕp′tīd′ /

A chemical compound that is composed of a chain of two or more amino acids and is usually smaller than a protein. The amino acids can be alike or different. Many hormones and antibiotics are peptides.

Etymology

Origin of peptide

1905–10; pept(ic) + -ide ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does peptide compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

peptide vs. polypeptide

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This peptide is not suitable for human consumption.

From BBC

"This is a third genome that evolved a distinct peptide to inhibit the same target in a similar way," Clemons says.

From Science Daily

In their latest work, they found that simply adjusting the orientation and position of a single cancer targeting peptide significantly strengthened the immune system's ability to attack tumors.

From Science Daily

Amino acids are responsible for building proteins and peptides in DNA, and they are central to nearly every biological process.

From Science Daily

“It’s a peptide. It’s a large protein inside the pill that gives you that incredible efficacy.”

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023