activator

A1C3T1I1V4A1T1O1R1

noun

One who, or that which, activates.

Opposite
inhibitor
OriginEnglish activate ← Middle English actyf ← Old French actif →
Less commonScrabble 14
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Meanings

nounactivator (plural activators)

plural activators · alternative activater

  1. One who, or that which, activates.
  2. physicalchemistrySomething that activates a catalyst
  3. biologyAny chemical or agent which regulates one or more genes by increasing the rate of transcription.
  4. biologyA type of effector that increases the rate of enzyme-mediated reactions.
  5. A type of dopant used in phosphors and scintillators.
  6. businessAn agent that enables the flotation of a mineral or minerals.
  7. A hand-held device that delivers a controlled fast thrust to a joint, muscle, etc., to help stimulate nervous system activity.

Synonyms & antonyms

noun(biology) any agency bringing about activation; a molecule that increases the activity of an enzyme or a protein that increases the production of a gene product in DNA transcription

Opposite
inhibitor
Broader
substance

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eǵ-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂éǵeti
  3. Proto-Italic*agō
  4. Latinagō
  5. Ancient Greekἐνεργητικός (energētikós)
  6. Latināctīvu
  7. Old Frenchactif
  8. Middle Englishactyf
  9. Englishactive
  10. Englishactivate
  11. Englishactivator

From activate + -or.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic مُنْشِط
  • مُنْشِط (munšiṭ)chemical increasing transcription
Finnish aktivoija, aktivaattori
  • aktivoijaone who activates
  • aktivaattorisomething that activates a catalyst
  • aktivaattorichemical increasing transcription
  • aktivaattorithat which speeds up enzyme transcription
French activateur
  • activateurchemical increasing transcription
German Aktivator, Beschleuniger
  • Aktivatorchemical increasing transcription
  • Beschleunigerchemical increasing transcription
Indonesian aktivator, aktivator
  • aktivatorsomething that activates a catalyst
  • aktivatorchemical increasing transcription
  • aktivatorthat which speeds up enzyme transcription
Italian attivatore
  • attivatorechemical increasing transcription
Malay penggalak, penggalak
  • penggalakchemical increasing transcription
  • penggalakthat which speeds up enzyme transcription
Persian فعالساز, راهانداز
  • فعالساز (fa'âlsâz)chemical increasing transcription
  • راهانداز (râh-andâz)chemical increasing transcription
  • کناییدار (konāyidār)chemical increasing transcription
Polish aktywizator, aktywator
  • aktywizatorone who activates
  • aktywatorsomething that activates a catalyst
Portuguese ativador
  • ativadorchemical increasing transcription
Russian активиза́тор, актива́тор
  • активиза́тор (aktivizátor)one who activates
  • актива́тор (aktivátor)something that activates a catalyst
  • актива́тор (aktivátor)chemical increasing transcription
  • ускори́тель (uskorítelʹ)chemical increasing transcription
Spanish activador, activador
  • activadorone who activates
  • activadorchemical increasing transcription
Cite this entry
APA

activator. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/activator

MLA

“activator.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/activator. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “activator,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/activator.

Source: activator on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.