catalyst
noun
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Word History of Catalyst
Catalyst is a fairly recent addition to the English language, first appearing at the start of the 20th century with its chemistry meaning. It was formed from the word catalysis, another chemistry term which refers to a modification and especially an increase in the rate of a chemical reaction induced by material unchanged chemically at the end of the reaction. By the 1940s, the figurative sense of catalyst was in use for someone or something that quickly causes change or action.
Examples of catalyst in a Sentence
Dubai Tourism Contributor, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
The analyst cited improving growth trends as a catalyst for the upgrade.
—Sean Conlon, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
Although it's become abundantly clear the race is too close for public opinion polling to shed any light on who might win, it's generally believed that polls indicating a neck-and-neck race are likely to serve as a catalyst for higher voter engagement.
—WIRED, 4 Nov. 2024
Gerda wouldn’t speculate on whether his reporting was the catalyst for the federal investigation into Do.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near catalyst
Cite this Entry
“Catalyst.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catalyst. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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catalyst
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catalyst
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