catalysis

American  

[kuh-tal-uh-sis] / kəˈtæl ə sɪs /

noun

• catalyses
  plural

1. Chemistry. the causing or accelerating of a chemical change by the addition of a catalyst.

2. an action between two or more persons or forces, initiated by an agent that itself remains unaffected by the action.

   social catalyses occasioned by controversial writings.

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catalysis British  

/ kəˈtælɪsɪs /

noun

1. acceleration of a chemical reaction by the action of a catalyst

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• self-catalysis
  noun
• anticatalytic
  adjective
• catalytic
  adjective
• catalytical
  adjective
• noncatalytic
  adjective
• semicatalytic
  adjective
• anticatalytically
  adverb
• catalytically
  adverb
• noncatalytically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• catalyses
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of catalysis

First recorded in 1645–55; from New Latin, from Greek katálȳsis “dissolution,” equivalent to katalȳ́ein “to dissolve” ( kata- cata- + lȳ́ein “to loosen”) + -sis -sis

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

catalysis catalyses

Second is a recovery in catalysis alongside abating forex headwinds that should let Clariant generate good earnings growth in 2027, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

Increasing triplet generation efficiency could improve photoredox and environmental catalysis.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026

Beyond explaining one of gold's most recognizable characteristics, the research could have important implications for catalysis.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026

The research findings were published online in May 2025 in Applied Catalysis B: Environmental and Energy, a leading journal in the field of energy and environmental catalysis.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2025

Or was it her brother's presence, that, serving somehow to take off the edge, worked a mysterious catalysis?

From Mary Wollaston by Henry Kitchell Webster

For this module, the authors engineered their strain to express an enzyme called PLA UDP-glucosyltransferase, which is found in the deadly nightshade plant Atropa belladonna and catalyses the production of PLA glucoside.

From Nature ● Sep. 1, 2020

This gene encodes the enzyme GA20 oxidase 2, which catalyses the production of highly active forms of gibberellin3,4.

From Nature ● Jul. 14, 2020

“Suppression catalyses people to fight back,” said Chan, who is also a sociology professor.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 4, 2020

When an siRNA binds to its target mRNA, it catalyses the destruction of that molecule.

From Nature ● Oct. 15, 2019

Having intended to avoid marriage until his career was fully under way, he falls prey to social pressure; the perception that he and Rosamond are already attached catalyses their engagement.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 21, 2018

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