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Glite Dictionary
biocatalyst

biocatalyst

7.8
A natural substance, often an enzyme, that speeds up reactions in living things
  • noun
  • /ˌbaɪoʊˈkætəlɪst/
  • Specialized
translation icon : biocatalizador
  • The industrial process uses a biocatalyst to speed up the chemical reaction.

Examples

  • Researchers are engineering new biocatalysts for more efficient drug synthesis.

  • An enzyme is a natural biocatalyst found in living organisms.

  • The biocatalyst speeds up the reaction.

  • Scientists developed a new biocatalyst for the process.

  • Biocatalysts are essential in developing more sustainable processes in the food industry.

  • Researchers are studying how biocatalysts can improve the efficiency of biofuel production.

  • Enzymes serve as biocatalysts to speed up the conversion of starches into sugars in biological systems.

Synonyms

enzyme
vsbiocatalyst
  • Specialized
90 4.2

A protein made by living cells that makes certain chemical changes in the body happen faster

is a broader biological catalyst term covering other catalyst types
catalyzer
vsbiocatalyst
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A substance that makes a chemical reaction faster without being used up

is limited to biological processes rather than general chemical reactions

Surface Forms

biocatalyst singular
biocatalysts plural

Morphology

biocatalyst = catalyst (transparent) = bio + catalyst

The word is a straightforward prefixation of 'bio-' to 'catalyst', meaning a biological catalyst.

Etymology

The word biocatalyst joins bio- meaning 'life', as in biology, and catalyst meaning 'something that makes a reaction go faster'. So a biocatalyst is often an enzyme that helps speed up chemical processes in living things.