pollutant

[puh-loot-nt]

noun

1. something that pollutes.

2. any substance, as certain chemicals or waste products, that renders the air, soil, water, or other natural resource harmful or unsuitable for a specific purpose.

pollutant

/ pəˈluːtənt /

noun

1. a substance that pollutes, esp a chemical or similar substance that is produced as a waste product of an industrial process

pollutant

1. A substance or condition that contaminates air, water, or soil. Pollutants can be artificial substances, such as pesticides and PCBs, or naturally occurring substances, such as oil or carbon dioxide, that occur in harmful concentrations in a given environment. Heat transmitted to natural waterways through warm-water discharge from power plants and uncontained radioactivity from nuclear wastes are also considered pollutants.

Other Word Forms

• nonpollutant adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pollutant¹

First recorded in 1890–95; pollute + -ant

Example Sentences

In the poor, mostly Black neighborhoods of South Memphis near the data center, residents said they smelled the pollutants not long after xAI started operations.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Large methane leaks not only unleash massive amounts of the greenhouse gas, but are also carry a toxic mix of air pollutants.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

For decades, surf camps and schools have been a mainstay of local beaches across Santa Monica Bay, but concerns over pollutants from the Palisades fire are hurting business.

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These include leaving some of the waste in situ and placing a soil cap on top of it, upon which plants would be cultivated to help absorb pollutants.

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Prof Ren says data centres typically rely on diesel backup generators that release large amounts of harmful pollutants.

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Related Words

• poison 
• pollution 
• toxic waste 
• toxin