Proteolytic is an adjective used to describe biochemical processes or enzymes that break down proteins. It is a term frequently used in the field of biochemistry and molecular biology. There are various terms that can be used interchangeably with proteolytic, including protease, peptidase, and proteinase, all of which refer to enzymes that break down proteins. Other synonyms for proteolytic include proteolytic activity, proteolytic cleavage, and proteolysis, which all refer to the process of breaking down proteins. Additionally, terms such as proteolytic enzyme, peptidase enzyme, and proteinase enzyme can also be used to refer to the enzymes that catalyze proteolysis.