01 n. A mother substance, or antecedent, of an enzyme or chemical ferment; -- applied to such substances as, not being themselves actual ferments…
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A mother substance, or antecedent, of an enzyme or chemical ferment; -- applied to such substances as, not being themselves actual ferments, may by internal changes give rise to a ferment.(Physiol. Chem.)“The pancreas contains but little ready-made ferment, though there is present in it a body, zymogen, which gives birth to the ferment.” — Foster.