CATALYST


Meaning of CATALYST in English

cat ‧ a ‧ lyst /ˈkætl-əst, ˈkætl-ɪst/ BrE AmE noun [countable]

[ Date: 1900-2000 ; Origin: catalysis , on the model of analyst ]

1 . technical a substance that makes a chemical reaction happen more quickly without being changed itself

2 . something or someone that causes an important change or event to happen

catalyst for

They hope his election will act as a catalyst for reform.

—catalytic /ˌkætlˈɪtɪk◂/ adjective

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.