catalyst

American  

[kat-l-ist] / ˈkæt l ɪst /

noun

• catalysts
  plural

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

• self-catalyst
  noun
• semicatalyst
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• catalysts
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of catalyst

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

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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

See Examples For:

catalyst catalysts

Yaroslavsky also described the 1984 Olympic Arts Festival as a catalyst for Los Angeles’ cultural growth.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

Using automated computational tools, the scientists examined the possible reactions involving 105 chemical species present on the catalyst surface.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026

He scored a goal, made some big tackles, and was also was able to play out from the back, being the catalyst for Palace, so he goes in as well.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

Buybacks are a catalyst for Nvidia shares, too, after the company recently raised its share-repurchase authorization by $150 billion to bring its total buyback program to $235 billion.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

In addition, we know that montmorillonite clays are a potent catalyst for combining amino acids into longer chain molecules resembling proteins.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Moderna and Revolution Medicines have upcoming catalysts that could help sustain their gains, even as biotech stocks retreat.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

Fans of “The Good Wife” or “The Good Fight” are familiar with how the Kings turned emerging tech issues — particularly ones involving Google, Amazon or Facebook — into narrative catalysts for cases.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

Traditionally, researchers have concentrated on choosing the right starting materials, catalysts, electrode surfaces, voltages, and solution compositions.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026

Multiple catalysts could drive the price of bitcoin up before the end of the year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Hearing about Rosa Parks and her protest showed me that there is hope for me and all the students in Ms. G’s classes to truly be catalysts for change.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers

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