Dictionary.com
definitions

polluted

[ puh-loo-tid ]
/ pəˈlu tɪd /
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR polluted ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

made unclean or impure; contaminated; tainted: swimming in polluted waters.
Slang. drunk.

RELATED CONTENT

The Changing Language Of Climate ChangeLearning these words is vital to understanding the issue of climate change as a whole. So, we've identified some of the latest terms surrounding climate change to have on your radar.
READ MORE
When Did “Chemical” Become Such A Toxic Word?When people see the word chemical, it tends to inspire fear, but should it?
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

violate, infect, taint, foul, poison, contaminate, stain, sully, defile, befoul, mar, debase, profane, soil, dishonor, alloy, desecrate, dirty, spoil, debauch

Nearby words

  1. pollster,
  2. polltaker,
  3. pollucite,
  4. pollutant,
  5. pollute,
  6. polluter,
  7. pollution,
  8. pollux,
  9. polly,
  10. pollyanna

Origin of polluted

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at pollute, -ed2
Related formspol·lut·ed·ness, nounun·pol·lut·ed, adjective

Definition for polluted (2 of 2)

pollute

[ puh-loot ]
/ pəˈlut /

verb (used with object), pol·lut·ed, pol·lut·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.

Origin of pollute

1325–75; Middle English polute < Latin pollūtus past participle of polluere to soil, defile, equivalent to pol-, assimilated variant of por- (see pollicitation; here marking the action as complete) + -lū- base of -luere (akin to lutum mud, dirt, lustrum muddy place) + -tus past participle suffix
Related formspol·lut·er, nounpol·lu·tive, adjectivenon·pol·lut·ing, adjectiveun·pol·lut·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for polluted

British Dictionary definitions for polluted (1 of 2)

polluted

/ (pəˈluːtɪd) /

adjective

made unclean or impure; contaminated
US slang intoxicated; drunk

British Dictionary definitions for polluted (2 of 2)

pollute

/ (pəˈluːt) /

verb (tr)

to contaminate, as with poisonous or harmful substances
to make morally corrupt or impure; sully
to desecrate or defile
Derived Formspolluter, noun

Word Origin for pollute

C14 polute, from Latin polluere to defile
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for polluted

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