gluten
UK[ˈɡluːt(ə)n]US[ˈɡluːt(ə)n]
n
A protein substance that remains when starch is washed from wheat flour, giving dough its elastic texture.
n
A mixture of proteins found in wheat and some other grains, responsible for the elastic texture of dough.
Etymology
The word 'gluten' entered English in the early 16th century directly from Latin, where 'glūten' meant "glue." This Latin term itself is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root glei-, meaning "to stick, paste, glue." The semantic logic is beautifully direct: the sticky, cohesive protein mass that forms when wheat flour is mixed with water behaves functionally like a natural glue, binding the dough together. Thus, the modern, specific culinary and scientific term for this protein complex retains the ancient, literal sense of its Latin ancestor, encapsulating the concept of a binding agent.
Analysis
The word 'gluten' is a simplex loanword from Latin. It is not productively segmented into smaller, meaningful morphemes in modern English.
Examples
This bread is made from a special flour that contains very little gluten.
People with celiac disease must follow a strict gluten-free diet.
The development of gluten is essential for giving the bread its chewy texture.