[ 'trɪpsɪn ]
■ noun a digestive enzyme which breaks down proteins in the small intestine, secreted by the pancreas as ~ogen.
Derivatives
tryptic adjective
Origin
C19: from Gk tripsis 'friction', from tribein 'to rub' (because it was first obtained by rubbing down the pancreas with glycerine), + -in 1 .