catalyst

American  

[kat-l-ist] / ˈkæt l ɪst /

noun

1. Chemistry. a substance that causes or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected.

2. something that causes activity between two or more persons or forces without itself being affected.

3. a person or thing that precipitates an event or change.

   His imprisonment by the government served as the catalyst that helped transform social unrest into revolution.

4. a person whose talk, enthusiasm, or energy causes others to be more friendly, enthusiastic, or energetic.

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catalyst British  

/ ˈkætəlɪst /

noun

1. a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself suffering any permanent chemical change Compare inhibitor

2. a person or thing that causes a change

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catalyst Scientific  

/ kăt′l-ĭst /

1. A substance that starts or speeds up a chemical reaction while undergoing no permanent change itself. The enzymes in saliva, for example, are catalysts in digestion.

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catalyst Cultural  

1. In chemistry, a substance that causes a chemical reaction to occur but is not itself involved in the reaction.

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Discover More

The term catalyst is often used to refer to the prime agent of any change: “She was the catalyst for the reorganization.”

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• semicatalyst
  noun
• self-catalyst
  noun

Etymology

Origin of catalyst

First recorded in 1900–05; cataly(sis) + (-i)st

Explanation

A catalyst is an event or person causing a change. Getting kicked out of your parents' house might be a catalyst for becoming more independent. The noun catalyst is something or someone that causes a change and is derived from the Greek word katalύein, meaning "to dissolve." It can be somewhat ordinary, like when moving to a warmer climate was the catalyst for getting a short, sporty haircut. Or it can be major, like how the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is said to be a catalyst of World War I.

Example Sentences

“Everyone knows these are great assets, but what’s the catalyst to unlock that value?” said Curry Baker, an analyst at Guggenheim Securities.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

That was the catalyst for the paint recycling enterprise and helping to make it more affordable for people.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

“That would provide a bullish catalyst for USD/JPY heading into the weekend,” Simpson adds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

“While we do not see Meta abandoning its pursuit of AGI/ ChatGPT clones, we think this could be the first catalyst to more rational spending,” he added.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

“Probably sounds dumb, but the end of Carl felt like the end of normal for me. Eventually my sister left, too. It was like...the catalyst for this foundation-shifting chain reaction.”

From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone

Related Words

• impetus
• incentive
• motivation
• stimulant