Definition of "lysozyme" [lysozyme]

• An enzyme occurring naturally in egg white, human tears, saliva, and other body fluids, capable of destroying the cell walls of certain bacteria and thereby acting as a mild antiseptic. (noun)

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.

• "Interestingly, lysozyme is also found in tears, so in theory you could fine your Cabernets by weeping into them."
• "NMR spectroscopy of the protein lysozyme in their experimental new superconducting spectrometer, and published the first paper on that subject."
• "Presented with the medical term "lysozyme," he blurted out: "May I please have all the information on this word?""