Autolyzed

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The enzymatic breakdown of proteins creates a substance that is rich in amino acids and enhances both taste and nutritional quality
2. Self-digestion through enzymatic action yields a product that increases the availability of nutrients and improves flavor profiles
3. The process of breaking down proteins by their own enzymes results in a nutrient-rich substance that enhances flavor and nutritional value

Etymology: "Autolyzed" is the past tense of "autolyze," which combines "auto-" with the suffix "-lyze." The first part comes from Ancient Greek "autos," meaning "self," a root that also gives English "automatic" and "autonomy." The second part, "-lyze," comes from the Greek "lysis," meaning "loosening" or "dissolving," which appears in words like "analysis" and "paralysis." Put together, "autolyze" literally means "to dissolve itself," and the word is used of cells and tissues that break themselves down through their own enzymes after death or injury. Because the word is built from two existing English-usable elements, its meaning is transparent: a reader can work out the sense from the parts alone.

Synonyms: decomposed, digested, broken down, dismantled, disintegrated