contaminant
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of contaminant
1920–25; < Latin contāminant- (stem of contāmināns ), present participle of contāmināre. See contaminate, -ant
Vocabulary lists containing contaminant
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.
She said researchers and government agencies have done a number of studies showing “that contaminant levels on aircraft are generally low and that health and safety standards are met.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025
Bowen also recommended reaching out to specific brands and asking them about contaminant levels in their products.
From Salon • Jan. 14, 2025
And many studies look at only one contaminant at a time, he said.
From Science Daily • Nov. 19, 2024
The bacteria Bacillus cereus was found to be the contaminant in the cause of all three deaths.
From BBC • Nov. 19, 2024
Harvard’s Robert Chang—whose widely used Chang Liver Cell line was listed as a HeLa contaminant on Gartler’s chart —glared from his seat.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
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.
