cofactor

/ˈkoʊˌfæktər/
noun
  1. A substance (such as a vitamin or mineral) that is necessary for an enzyme to function properly in the body.
    • Magnesium acts as a cofactor for many enzymes involved in energy production.
    • Zinc is an important cofactor for the enzyme that helps heal wounds.
    • Without the proper cofactor, the digestive enzyme cannot break down proteins.
  2. A factor that works together with another factor to produce a result, especially in mathematics or statistics.
    • In matrix algebra, the cofactor is used to calculate the determinant.
    • Each cofactor in the equation must be calculated carefully to avoid errors.
    • The study identified income as a cofactor in predicting educational success.
What does "cofactor" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean