inhibitor
nounUK /ɪnˈhɪbɪtə/
US /ɪnˈhɪbɪtər/
Something that stops or slows down a process.
The medicine acts as an inhibitor to slow the growth of the germs.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A substance that slows down a chemical reaction.
Adding an inhibitor kept the reaction from happening too fast.
3. A person who holds back or restrains something.
He was an inhibitor of new ideas at the meeting.
4. A gene or substance that reduces the activity of another gene.
The inhibitor turned off the gene that caused the extra growth.