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Definition of "amyloid" []

  • A starchlike substance. (noun)
  • Pathology A hard waxy deposit consisting of protein and polysaccharides that results from the degeneration of tissue. (noun)
  • Starchlike. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "amyloid" in a sentence
  • "Scientists say a protein called beta amyloid is responsible for most of the damage to the brain and the symptoms of the disease."
  • "Scientists have shown how the body's natural way of ridding the body of the toxic protein amyloid-beta is flawed in people with the disease."
  • "No one knew where this pesky filament came from until 1987, when researchers discovered it was part of a larger molecule they dubbed the amyloid-precursor protein (APP)."