catalyst
/ˈkæt.ɪ.lɪst/
"catalyst" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“catalyst” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,177 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #10,177
- frequency rank, English
- 8
- letters
- 13
- tracked misspellings
- 2
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | catalyst |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈkæt.ɪ.lɪst/ |
| Letters | 8 |
| Frequency rank | #10,177 |
| Misspellings tracked | 13 |
| Confusable pairs | 2 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “catalyst” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for catalyst is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkæt.ɪ.lɪst/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,177 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for catalyst, with forms such as "actalyst", "caatlyst", and "catallyst". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "catalysis", "cataclysm", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.
Etymologically, the entry records: From catalysis + -ist. The correct English form is catalyst, spelled C-A-T-A-L-Y-S-T.
Definition
- 1A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process.
- 2Something that encourages progress or change.
- 3An inciting incident that sets the successive conflict into motion.
- 4A catalytic converter.
- 5An object that facilitates the casting of a spell (such as a magic wand).
Etymology
From catalysis + -ist.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: actalyst,caatlyst,catallyst,catalsyt,catalysst,catalystt,catalyts,catalyyst,cataylst,catlayst,cattalyst,ccatalyst,ctaalyst
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of catalyst - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "catalyst"?
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Using “catalyst”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-A-T-A-L-Y-S-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈkæt.ɪ.lɪst/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “catalysis” - see the side-by-side comparison. catalyst vs catalysis
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.