contaminate
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
adjective
verb
-
to make impure, esp by touching or mixing; pollute
-
to make radioactive by the addition of radioactive material
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of contaminate
1375–1425; late Middle English contaminaten < Latin contāminātus, past participle of contāmināre to defile, spoil, equivalent to con- con- + -tāminare, verbal derivative of *tāmen something touched < *tag-s-men, equivalent to tag-, variant stem of tangere to touch + -s-men resultative noun suffix; cf. examen
Explanation
The verb contaminate means the same as pollute. Whether it’s food, air, or water, when you contaminate something, you make it impure or hazardous. Contaminate comes from the Latin word contaminat-, meaning “made impure.” You can use the word to indicate that a hazardous substance has been introduced into something else, such as food that is contaminated with mold. It can also be used figuratively to describe the spoiling of a good thing, like one person's habit of gossiping that can contaminate a conversation among friends.
Vocabulary lists containing contaminate
A Long Walk to Water
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Bud, Not Buddy
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100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Contaminate and infect refer to something evil that deeply pervades and permeates, as the human body or mind.
From English Synonyms and Antonyms With Notes on the Correct Use of Prepositions by Fernald, James Champlin
What! shall one of us, That struck the foremost man of all this world, But for supporting robbers;—shall we now Contaminate our fingers with base bribes?
From Handy Dictionary of Poetical Quotations by Various
Shall one of Vs, That strucke the Formost man of all this World, But for supporting Robbers: shall we now, Contaminate our fingers, with base Bribes?
From Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, William
Contaminate, kon-tam′i-nāt, v.t. to defile by touching or mixing with: to pollute: to corrupt: to infect.—adj.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
