adulterant

[uh-duhl-ter-uhnt]

noun

1. a substance that adulterates.

adjective

1. adulterating.

adulterant

/ əˈdʌltərənt /

noun

1. a substance or ingredient that adulterates

adjective

1. adulterating

Word History and Origins

Origin of adulterant¹

1745–55; < Latin adulterant- (stem of adulterāns, present participle of adulterāre ), equivalent to ad- ad- + -ulter ( adulterate ) + -ant- -ant

Example Sentences

These are drugs often used as adulterants in other substances and can be more than 100 times more potent than heroin.

From BBC

Unlike other adulterants added to fentanyl for their psychoactive effects, “it’s not like it’s something that you go out and you use a bunch of to get high,” Krotulski said.

From Los Angeles Times

"This final determination marks the first time that Salmonella is being declared an adulterant in a class of raw poultry products. "

From Salon

“At milk processing plants, every incoming tanker load of milk is checked for adulterants, including antibiotics, and quality and safety standards,” Russo notes.

From Science Magazine

Just as we warn people about tainted lettuce or contaminated eye drops, we need to warn them about dangerous adulterants or new drugs in an illicit drug supply already killing hundreds of Americans every day.

From Scientific American