Peptidic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to or characteristic of peptides; describing substances composed of short chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds; pertaining to the chemical nature or properties of peptide molecules
2. Concerning the structure or function of peptides; indicating compounds formed by sequences of amino acid residues connected through peptide linkages; involving the biochemical or molecular aspects of peptides
3. Associated with or derived from peptides; referring to molecular entities consisting of amino acid chains joined by peptide bonds; denoting features or activities related to peptide chemistry or biology

Etymology: Peptidic is a plain modern formation: the adjective "peptide" with the suffix "-ic" added to give "relating to" or "of the nature of." The base word traces back through German "Peptid," which was coined in the nineteenth century from "Pepton" (peptone), a term for protein fragments produced by digestion. That in turn comes from the Greek verb "pepto," meaning "to digest" or "to cook," so the chemistry of peptides is named after a process of breaking food down. The "-ic" ending itself is ancient and well travelled. It descends from Latin "-icus," which entered English through Old French "-ique" and Middle English "-ik," and it sits on countless scientific adjectives such as "acidic" and "atomic." The result is a word that carries a digestive origin inside a precise laboratory term. Chemists needed a name for the amino acid chains and their associated activities, and the adjective simply extends the noun's meaning to cover anything connected with them.