autocatalyticadj.
/ˌɔːtə(ʊ)ˌkatəˈlɪtɪk/, U.S. /ˌɔdəˌkædəˈlɪdɪk/, /ˌɔdoʊˌkædəˈlɪdɪk/, /ˌɑdəˌkædəˈlɪdɪk/, /ˌɑdoʊˌkædəˈlɪdɪk/ Chemistry and Biochemistry.
Of, relating to, or characterized by autocatalysis; of the nature of an autocatalyst.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > chemical reactions or processes > [adjective] > of or relating to that which affects reaction > of or relating to catalysis > autocatalytic
autocatalytic1901
1901 Proc. Amer. Chem. Soc. 136 These influences can not be named catalytic nor autocatalytic, because they may be apparently of such a nature as to change the whole equilibrium existing in the solution.
1939 Ann. Reg. 1938 376 Certain plant viruses..may be a new type of autocatalytic protein.
1984 E. P. DeGarmo et al. Materials & Processes in Manuf. (ed. 6) xxxvii. 923 Electroless plating is accomplished by autocatalytic reduction of the metallic iron of the plating metal.
2008 Sci. Amer. Dec. 42/2 Autocatalytic replication systems using short oligonucleotides have been discovered, as have self-replicating short peptides.
Derivatives
ˌautoˌcataˈlytically adv. by means of autocatalysis; as an autocatalyst.
ΚΠ
1901 Jrnl. Chem. Soc. 79 312 In the case of the action of alcohol on trichloroacetic acid..he shows that the trichloroacetic acid acts autocatalytically.
1949 New Biol. 7 60 The actual flower-promoting hormone..accumulates autocatalytically at the growing points once it has been formed.
2006 M. Nolden et al. in M. Makarow & I. Braakman Chaperones 124 Efficient sorting to mitochondria is supported by a pro-region following the presequence, which is removed within mitochondria autocatalytically.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1901