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pollute

[ puh-loot ]
/ pÉ™Ėˆlut /
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See synonyms for: pollute / polluted / polluting on Thesaurus.com

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.
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Origin of pollute

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English polute, from Latin pollÅ«tus, past participle of polluere ā€œto soil, defile,ā€ equivalent to pol-, assimilated variant of por- ā€œforth, forwardā€ (variant of prefix per- ), here marking completed action + -lÅ«- base of -luere (akin to lutum ā€œmud, dirt,ā€ lustrum ā€œmuddy 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, adjective
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
/ (pÉ™Ėˆluːt) /

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, noun

Word 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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for pollute

pollute
[ pə-lōōt′ ]

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

pol•lut′er n.
The American HeritageĀ® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright Ā© 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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