pollutant

American  

[puh-loot-nt] / pəˈlut nt /

noun

• pollutants
  plural

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.

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pollutant British  

/ pəˈluːtənt /

noun

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

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pollutant Scientific  

/ pə-lo̅o̅t′nt /

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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonpollutant
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• pollutants
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of pollutant

First recorded in 1890–95; pollute + -ant

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Explanation

Any substance that makes the environment dirty or contaminated is a pollutant. Soot is an example of an air pollutant, and chemical pollutants can make their way into the water supply. Trash that doesn't quickly biodegrade is one kind of pollutant—think of plastic bags floating around in the ocean. Chemicals that find their way into the air we breathe and the water we drink are another kind of pollutant. Pollutant comes from pollution, from the Late Latin pollutionem, "defilement," and its root polluere, "to soil or defile."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pollutant pollutants

California got its second satellite tuned to spot a powerful climate pollutant Thursday when it launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Lompoc.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

For this part of the research, they used a case crossover design based on daily pollutant concentrations before each appointment.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

While developers argue this is beneficial to remain independent from Utah’s power grid, it would still be highly pollutant and unlikely to account for all the center’s energy needs.

From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026

Coal is a top contributor to planet-warming greenhouse gases, and also a powerful air pollutant that is harmful for human health.

From Barron's ● Mar. 24, 2026

It is a bit of a chemical oddity in that at ground level it is a pollutant, while way up in the stratosphere it is beneficial, since it soaks up dangerous ultraviolet radiation.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

An initiative co-founded by McCormick, Climate TRACE, harnesses the technology to track emissions around the planet and build an inventory of the pollutants.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

These findings identify indoor surface cleaning and disinfection as key drivers of indoor atmospheric nanoparticle formation and highlight the need for improved building ventilation, air cleaning, and product formulation to mitigate exposure to secondary pollutants.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026

EPA officials said on a call Monday that the change will not include pollutants that directly harm health such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, which are regulated separately.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

Zeldin told reporters that safeguards against "hazardous air pollutants" would remain in place "to safeguard human health".

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

Although she was enjoying the night air, Holly could taste traces of pollutants.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer

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Related Words

• poison
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• toxic waste
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