Protein Definition: From Greek ‘Primary’ to Biological Building Blocks

Definition: Proteins are large, complex molecules that play many critical roles in the body. They are necessary for the structure, function, and regulation of the body’s tissues and organs. Proteins are made up of hundreds or thousands of smaller units called amino acids, which are attached to one another in long chains.

Etymology and Origin: The term ‘protein’ is derived from the Greek word ‘proteios’, meaning ‘primary’ or ‘in the lead’. The name was suggested by the Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius in 1838, to emphasize the protein’s fundamental role in living organisms.