catalysis

[kuh-tal-uh-sis]

noun

plural

catalyses 

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.

catalysis

/ kəˈtælɪsɪs /

noun

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of catalysis¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of catalysis¹

C17: from New Latin, from Greek katalusis, from kataluein to dissolve

Example Sentences

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.

Read more on Science Daily

"Researchers have been looking at the ways these atomic arrangements change metallic properties -- a big one is catalysis," Freitas says of the process that drives chemical reactions.

Read more on Science Daily

"If no oxygen bonds to it, leftover carbon will aggregate on the catalyst's nickel surface, covering its active face. This coking deposition causes deactivation. It is extremely common in thermal catalysis for hydrocarbon conversion."

Read more on Science Daily

Surfaces play a key role in numerous chemical reactions, including catalysis and corrosion.

Read more on Science Daily

"What we are interested in is essentially to discover entirely new enzymatic reactions and general modes of enzyme catalysis," he added.

Read more on Science Daily