Dictionary
cat'alyt'ic crack'ing
the reduction of the molecular weight of hydrocarbons by a catalyst, accomplished in a petroleum refinery by a type of chemical reactor
(cat'alyt'ic crack'er) . Cf.
cracker (def. 8),
cracking (def. 1).
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.