Prō'/ca-tā're/tic, a.

a. [Gr. προκαταρκτικός, beginning beforehand, previous; προκατάρχειν, to begin first; from πρό, before, and κατάρχειν, to begin, from κατά, downward, used intensively, and ἄρχειν, to be first, to begin; Fr. procatarctique, It. & Sp. procatartico.] (Med.) Beginning; commencing;—applied to those causes which immediately kindle a disease into action when there exists a predisposition to it.

“These words [procatarctic causes] have been used with different significations. Some have employed them synonymously with predisponent or remote causes; others with occasional or exciting causes.” Dunglison.