anticatalyst
|an-ti-cat-a-lyst|
/ˌæn.tiˈkæt.ə.lɪst/
prevents or slows a reaction/change
Etymology
'anticatalyst' originates from English by combining the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against' or 'opposite') and 'catalyst' (from Greek 'katalysis' meaning 'dissolution' via New Latin/Modern English).
'catalyst' comes from Greek 'katalysis' (κατάλυσις) → Late Latin/New Latin 'catalysis' → English 'catalyst' (19th century); 'anticatalyst' is a modern English formation combining 'anti-' + 'catalyst'.
The components originally conveyed 'against' + 'dissolution'; combined in modern English to mean 'an agent opposing or slowing the effect of a catalyst' or more broadly 'something that prevents or slows change'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a substance or agent that slows down or inhibits a chemical reaction (opposite of a catalyst).
The impurity acted as an anticatalyst, reducing the speed of the reaction.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/28 09:26