activating
adj. B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈæktəˌveɪtɪŋ// UK //ˈæktɪvˌeɪtɪŋ// ac·ti·vat·ing
adj. making something start working or becoming active. You use this to describe a process or substance that triggers a reaction.
adj. causing a process, system, or chemical reaction to begin functioning. Often used as a participial adjective to describe triggers or mechanisms.
The activating signal starts the machine.
The scientist added an activating agent to the solution to trigger the chemical reaction.
The activating hormone binds to the cell surface, initiating a complex cascade of signals that eventually results in the production of specific proteins.
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun to describe a cause or trigger.