Standard Lemma guide

kallikrein

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • General-American: /ˌkæl.əˈkɹiː.ɪn/
  • General-American: /kəˈlɪk.ɹi.ɪn/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A hypotensive protease that liberates kinins from blood plasma proteins and is used therapeutically for vasodilation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: biochemistry, biology, chemistry, microbiology, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: kallidinogenase, kininogenin

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Ancient Greek κᾰλλίκρεᾰς (kăllíkreăs, “sweetbread, pancreas”) + -in, from κᾰλλι- (kălli-, “beautiful”) + κρέᾰς (kréăs, “flesh, meat”).

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Italian: callicreina — a protease
  • Spanish: calicreína — a protease