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

• self-catalyst noun
• semicatalyst noun

Etymology

Origin of catalyst

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

Example Sentences

The stock is down 1.8% over the past month, as a flurry of robotics and autonomous-driving related announcements at the CES trade show, formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show, failed to provide a catalyst.

From Barron's

AI is the latest catalyst to go around traditional businesses and leave them in the dust.

From The Wall Street Journal

Business leaders may be even less likely to truly embrace busywork as a catalyst for innovation.

From The Wall Street Journal

"While the catalysts differ… the problems remain the same: systemic mismanagement, corruption, and repression," she said.

From BBC

The firm expects several catalysts, including clarity on OpenAI’s revenue prospects and increasing adoption of AI agents.

From Barron's

Related Words

• impetus
• incentive
• motivation
• stimulant