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

Sulfur particles are harmful pollutants linked to respiratory and cardiovascular problems.

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“The science is clear, acting now to reduce emissions of methane and other short-lived climate pollutants is the best way to immediately slow the pace of climate change,” Sanchez said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Some sites in these stages have been found to emit volatile organic compounds and other harmful pollutants.

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It could also bring relief to hundreds of thousands of people who live nearby landfills and may be exposed to toxic pollutants like hydrogen sulfide or benzene.

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Wotus was first drafted in the Nixon administration to give the feds power to regulate pollutants in obvious “navigable waters” like the Hudson River.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• poison 
• pollution 
• toxic waste 
• toxin