catalysis

n. acceleration of a chemical reaction caused by a substance that remains unchanged by the process; changes brought about by an agent that is unaffected by those same changes

In chemistry and biology, catalysis is the acceleration (increase in rate) of a chemical reaction by means of a substance called a catalyst, which is itself not consumed by the overall reaction. More generally, one may at times call anything that accelerates a process, a "catalyst" (for example, a "catalyst for political change"). The word is derived from the Greek noun κατάλυσις, related to the verb καταλύειν, meaning to annul or to untie or to pick up.
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Catalysis /ca·tal·y·sis/ increase in the velocity of a chemical reaction or process produced by the presence of a substance that is not consumed in [more]Catalysis - Community and Resources

Noun
1. acceleration of a chemical reaction induced the presence of material that is chemically unchanged at the end of the reaction; "of the top 50 commodity chemicals, 30 are created directly by catalysis and another 6 are made from raw materials that are catalytically produced"
(synonym) contact action
(hypernym) chemical process, chemical change, chemical action
(hyponym) autocatalysis

(n.)
The catalytic force.
  

(n.)
Dissolution; degeneration; decay.
  

(n.)
A process by which reaction occurs in the presence of certain agents which were formerly believed to exert an influence by mere contact. It is now believed that such reactions are attended with the formation of an intermediate compound or compounds, so that by alternate composition and decomposition the agent is apparenty left unchanged; as, the catalysis of making ether from alcohol by means of sulphuric acid; or catalysis in the action of soluble ferments (as diastase, or ptyalin) on starch.