catalyst

noun cat·a·lyst \ ˈka-tə-ləst \

|Updated on: 18 Jun 2018

Editor's Note: Word History of catalyst

Definition of catalyst

1 : a substance that enables a chemical reaction to proceed at a usually faster rate or under different conditions (as at a lower temperature) than otherwise possible

2 : an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action

That waterway became the catalyst of the area's industrialization.

He was the catalyst in the native uprising.

See catalyst defined for English-language learners

See catalyst defined for kids

Examples of catalyst in a Sentence

The bombing attack was the catalyst for war.
She was proud to be a catalyst for reform in the government.

Recent Examples of catalyst from the Web

Amazon's newest Fire TV product is another example of Frankensoftware, although in this case the catalyst is voice technology, not touchscreens.

— lauren goode, WIRED, "A New Era of Frankensoftware Is Upon Us," 13 June 2018
The catalyst for their break was the set of proposals that Hamilton submitted to Congress beginning in January 1790.

— jay cost, WSJ, "The Founding Era’s Populist Moment," 8 June 2018
One catalyst for change could be the money made from selling Miralem Pjanic.

— SI.com, "Juventus Place €80m Price Tag on Miralem Pjanic Following Rejected Manchester City Bid," 6 June 2018
The catalyst of much of the recent turmoil has been tightening U.S. monetary policy, and the weekend’s meeting is the first official appearance by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell at a G-7 summit.

— jana randow, Bloomberg.com, "Outrage Over U.S. Steel Tariffs Set to Spill Over Into G7 Meeting," 1 June 2018
The catalyst for the current debate was the death of Savita Halappanavar in 2012.

— emma flynn, Vox, "I’m an Irish expat who flew home to vote to legalize abortion. It’s a thrilling moment.," 25 May 2018
The final catalyst for me was nearly six years ago at Sandy Hook.

— holly otterbein, Philly.com, "A Q&A with Lindy Li, an ex-wealth manager running for Congress | #PA5," 14 May 2018
The catalyst for the attack was, apparently, The Interview, a satirical comedy starring James Franco and Seth Rogen as a pair of American journalists whom the C.I.A. asks to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

— yohana desta, HWD, "Actually, Seth Rogen Doesn’t Think North Korea Was Behind the Sony Hack," 30 Apr. 2018
The motor in the Rebels' scoring machine, the offensive catalyst was an All-CIF second-teamer and All-Prep League first-teamer who had 11 goals and three assists.

— staff reports, latimes.com, "All-Area Girls' Soccer First Team," 28 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'catalyst.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History of catalyst

Catalyst is a fairly recent addition to the English language, first appearing at the start of the 20^th 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.

Origin and Etymology of catalyst

see catalysis

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1902

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Chemical Engineering Terms

alkali, cation, decant, hygroscopic, isotope, oxidize, slurry, solute, viscous

Financial Definition of CATALYST

catalyst

noun

What It Is

A catalyst is news or information that changes a pricing trend in a security.

How It Works

Let's assume that Company XYZ announces earnings that far exceed analysts' expectations. This information could serve as a catalyst that kick-starts trading in the stock and changes its perception from a "dog" to a "star" among investors.

Catalysts can drive an investment up or down. A favorable event can push a stock to new heights, but if events turn sour, the exit for these shares can be very narrow and very crowded.

Let's take the example of a classic investment catalyst: adverse press publicity. A fundamentally strong company can get unfairly beaten up by the press and by analysts, driving down its stock price to unjustified lows. In this case, the catalyst would signal a great opportunity for investors to buy, not sell.

Why It Matters

Catalysts can change the perception of a security. They can be almost anything: earnings releases, favorable or unfavorable economic reports, management changes, new products, product recalls, successful (or unsuccessful) marketing campaigns, lawsuits, etc.

Quite often, catalysts are the news or events that finally call attention to fundamentals or other intrinsic factors that have existed for some time in a security. When investors can identify what events or information will be catalysts for a particular security, they essentially are able to predict which way the security will go if and when the information becomes public knowledge.

However, catalysts must be considered within the context of investment strategy. Investors buy when they anticipate the market will rise; they sell when they anticipate the market will fall. Catalysts are only one factor in the equation.

Source: Investing Answers

CATALYST Defined for English Language Learners

catalyst

noun

Definition of catalyst for English Language Learners

: a substance that causes a chemical reaction to happen more quickly
: a person or event that quickly causes change or action

Medical Dictionary

catalyst

noun cat·a·lyst \ ˈkat-ᵊl-əst \

medical Definition of catalyst

: a substance (as an enzyme) that enables a chemical reaction to proceed at a usually faster rate or under different conditions (as at a lower temperature) than otherwise possible