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pollute
[ puh-loot ]
/ pÉĖlut /
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verb (used with object), polĀ·lutĀ·ed, polĀ·lutĀ·ing.
to make foul or unclean, especially with harmful chemical or waste products; dirty: to pollute the air with smoke.
to make morally unclean; defile.
to render ceremonially impure; desecrate: to pollute a house of worship.
Informal. to render less effective or efficient: The use of inferior equipment has polluted the company's service.
OTHER WORDS FOR pollute
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Origin of pollute
First recorded in 1325ā75; Middle English polute, from Latin pollÅ«tus, past participle of polluere āto soil, defile,ā equivalent to pol-, assimilated variant of por- āforth, forwardā (variant of prefix per- ), here marking completed action + -lÅ«- base of -luere (akin to lutum āmud, dirt,ā lustrum āmuddy placeā) + -tus past participle suffix; see per-
OTHER WORDS FROM pollute
polĀ·lutĀ·er, nounpolĀ·luĀ·tive, adjectivenonĀ·polĀ·lutĀ·ing, adjectiveunĀ·polĀ·lutĀ·ing, adjectiveWords nearby pollute
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Ā© Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use pollute in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for pollute
pollute
/ (pÉĖluĖt) /
verb (tr)
to contaminate, as with poisonous or harmful substances
to make morally corrupt or impure; sully
to desecrate or defile
Derived forms of pollute
polluter, nounWord Origin for pollute
C14 polute, from Latin polluere to defile
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
Ā© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 Ā© HarperCollins
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Medical definitions for pollute
pollute
[ pÉ-lÅÅtā² ]
v.
To make unfit for or harmful to living things, especially by the addition of waste matter; contaminate.
To make less suitable for an activity, especially by the introduction of unwanted factors.
Other words from pollute
polā¢lutā²er n.The American HeritageĀ® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
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