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autocatalysis

American

[aw-toh-kuh-tal-uh-sis] / ˌɔ toʊ kəˈtæl ə sɪs /

noun

Chemistry, Biochemistry.

catalysis caused by a catalytic agent formed during a reaction.

autocatalysis British

/ ˌɔːtəʊkəˈtælɪsɪs /

noun

the catalysis of a reaction in which the catalyst is one of the products of the reaction

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

autocatalyses

plural

Etymology

Origin of autocatalysis

First recorded in 1890–95; auto- ¹ + catalysis

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Comproportionation reactions result in multiple copies of some of the molecules involved, providing materials for the next steps in autocatalysis.

From Science Daily • Sep. 19, 2023

Since RNA would have been better at autocatalysis, it would have been favored by natural selection in the long run.

From Scientific American • Nov. 12, 2017

But according to Pohorille, the potential for aggregation doesn’t automatically mean Dill is wrong about needing those hydrophobic patches to get autocatalysis started.

From Scientific American • Nov. 12, 2017

In Peter Bevelin’s masterful book Seeking Wisdom, he highlights Munger talking about autocatalysis:

From Time • Jun. 1, 2015

The other main reason for autocatalysis is that new technologies and materials make it possible to generate still other new technologies by recombination.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023