cross-contamination

American  

[kraws-kuhn-tam-uh-ney-shuhn, kros] / ˈkrɔs kənˌtæm əˈneɪ ʃən, ˈkrɒs /

Or cross contamination

noun

1. the unwanted transfer of something bad or harmful from one person or thing to another, especially pathogens or allergens.

   Even if an item has no dairy in it, there may be cross-contamination from other products made with the same equipment.

   Each of you should use your own towel to avoid cross-contamination.

2. the unwanted mixing of minute amounts of one substance into another, as with laboratory specimens.

   Your poor laboratory practices leave too much opportunity for cross-contamination of samples.

3. the mixing of ideas, information, etc., in such a way as to compromise their integrity or reliability.

   I never read books in the genre I'm writing in—I worry about a subconscious cross-contamination of ideas.

   Cross-contamination of testimony is a key issue when interviewing children as witnesses.

---

Etymology

Origin of cross-contamination

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

This sort of work-life cross-contamination is a common occurrence for the couple.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

The Food Standards Agency says there are a number of actions businesses can take to avoid cross-contamination, including cleaning utensils, handwashing and storing ingredients separately.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

The accounts became wilder and more embellished, and what had seem like cross-corroboration now seemed a clear case of cross-contamination.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 17, 2024

The US Food and Drug Administration recommends cooking poultry, eggs and other animal products to the proper temperature and preventing cross-contamination between raw and cooked food.

From Salon • Jun. 5, 2024

You want to avoid the cross-contamination that can come from contact with the uncooked chicken.

From The Perdue Chicken Cookbook by Perdue, Mitzi