inhibitor

[in-hib-i-ter] /ɪnˈhɪb ɪ tər/
noun
1.
a person or thing that inhibits.
2.
Chemistry. a substance that decreases the rate of or stops completely a chemical reaction.
3.
any impurity in a mineral that prevents luminescence.
Compare activator (def 3).
4.
Rocketry. an inert antioxidant used with solid propellants to inhibit burning on certain surfaces.
Also, inhibiter.
Origin
1865-70; inhibit + -or2
Examples from the web for inhibitor
  • There seems to be no inhibitor to immediate production.
  • Allopurinol is a xanthine oxidase inhibitor that blocks uric acid production.
  • Tyrosine kinase inhibitor drugs block proteins involved in tumor cell growth and production.
  • Tyrosine kinase inhibitor drugs block the cell signals that trigger cancer growth.
  • Longevity of the corrosion inhibitor during storage storage.
  • Carbaryl is a cholinesterase inhibitor and is toxic to humans.
British Dictionary definitions for inhibitor

inhibitor

/ɪnˈhɪbɪtə/
noun
1.
Also called inhibiter. a person or thing that inhibits
2.
Also called anticatalyst. a substance that retards or stops a chemical reaction Compare catalyst
3.
(biochem)
  1. a substance that inhibits the action of an enzyme
  2. a substance that inhibits a metabolic or physiological process: a plant growth inhibitor
4.
any impurity in a solid that prevents luminescence
5.
an inert substance added to some rocket fuels to inhibit ignition on certain surfaces
Word Origin and History for inhibitor
n.

1868 in scientific use (earlier as a Scottish legal term), agent noun in Latin form from inhibit.

inhibitor in Medicine

inhibitor in·hib·i·tor or in·hib·it·er (ĭn-hĭb'ĭ-tər)
n.

  1. A substance that restrains or retards physiological, chemical, or enzymatic action.

  2. A nerve whose stimulation represses activity.