catalyst

[kat-l-ist]

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.

catalyst

/ 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

catalyst

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.

catalyst

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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of catalyst¹

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

Example Sentences

The 42-day government shutdown wreaked havoc on scheduled releases of official economic data—figures crucial for the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate decisions and catalysts for investor behavior.

Read more on Barron's

He writes that a flexible labour market is key for India to attract entrepreneurs, as China did decades ago, to bring capital, technology, and global links - catalysts for economic transformation.

Read more on BBC

With no catalyst from New York, Asia markets were mixed heading into the weekend.

Read more on Barron's

EU policy changes on carbon emissions and the trade defense instrument could also act as catalysts, the bank adds.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But the new iPhone 17 seems to be enough of a catalyst to propel Apple to the top position in the global smartphone market.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• impetus 
• incentive 
• motivation 
• stimulant