• catalyst •
Pronunciation: kæt-ê-list • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: 1. (Chemistry) A substance that accelerates a reaction. 2. Someone or something that facilitates progress, that contributes to the solution of a problem.
Notes: Today we have a word that is more often read than heard in common conversation. It comes with an adjective, catalytic(al), an adverb, catalytically, and an action noun, catalysis. The verb is catalyze in the US and catalyse wherever UK spelling is used.
In Play: This word began its life in the vocabulary of science: "A catalytic converter is a device on internal combustion engines that catalyzes the oxidation of exhaust gases, so that they pollute less." However, Martin Luther King once wrote: "Forgiveness is a catalyst creating the atmosphere necessary for a fresh start and a new beginning."
Word History: Today's Good Word was backformed from catalysis "increase in the rate of a chemical reaction", which was picked up from the Latin borrowing of Greek katalysis "dissolution", the action noun for katalyein "to loosen, dissolve". The Greek verb is made up of kata "down, back" + lyein "to loosen, release, discharge". Little is known about kata, but lyein we know came from PIE leu- "to cut off, separate, free", also behind Sanskrit lunati "cuts, slices" and lavitrum "sickle", Latin luere "to loosen, free, dissolve", Albanian lirë "independent, free", Swedish lösa "loose", Icelandic losa "to loosen", German los "loose", Norwegian løs "loose", and English loose. (Now let's thank grandmaster of GW suggestions Albert Skiles for today's Good Word with the very loose meaning.)
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