Agency Dictionary
catalyst
nounPronunciation: /ˈkætəlɪst/
In Portuguese: catalisador
Science & HealthWhat does “catalyst” mean?
A substance or factor that accelerates a chemical reaction or stimulates widespread systemic change without being consumed.
Etymology
Formed in English around the beginning of the 20th century from catalysis, on the model of pairs such as analysis and analyst. Catalysis comes from Greek katalysis, "dissolution", from katalyein, "to dissolve", formed from kata ("down") and lyein ("to loosen"). The Greek word was given its chemical sense in the 1830s, a step credited to the Swedish chemist Berzelius, for reactions set off by a substance that is not itself consumed. The figurative sense, of a person or event that brings about change, followed in the 20th century.
Usage note
The verb is catalyze in American English and catalyse in British English. In careful use a catalyst speeds up or triggers a change without being its only cause.
Synonyms
- stimulus
- spur
- trigger
- impetus
- spark
- accelerant
Word family
- catalysis
- catalyze
- catalytic
- catalytically
Concepts
- CatalysisCatalysis is the scientific and metaphorical process of accelerating the rate of a reaction through the presence of a substance that remains chemically unchanged at the…
- Teleological PurposeTeleological purpose is a philosophical principle stating that actions, entities, and processes are fundamentally explained and motivated by their end goals or intrinsic…
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
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