amide combining the amino group of one amino acid with the carboxyl group of another; usually obtained by partial hydrolysis of protein
"The resulting peptide was isolated after the partial hydrolysis of the original protein sample."
Any of a class of organic compounds consisting of various numbers of amino acids in which the amine of one is reacted with the carboxylic acid of the next to form an amide bond.
"Intracellular signaling often relies on short peptides where individual amino acids are linked by amide bonds formed between their amine and carboxylic acid groups."
In plain English: A peptide is a short chain of amino acids that acts as a building block for proteins and helps carry out important tasks inside your body.
"Scientists are studying how this specific peptide can help regulate blood sugar levels in diabetic patients."
Usage: Peptides are short chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds, serving as fundamental building blocks for proteins and signaling molecules. Use this term specifically when referring to these smaller molecular structures rather than full-length proteins or individual amino acids.
The word peptide comes from the German term Pepton, which itself was borrowed from Ancient Greek. The original Greek root meant "cooked" or "digested," referring to how proteins break down into these smaller molecules in the body.