pollution

American  

[puh-loo-shuhn] / pəˈlu ʃən /

noun

1. the act of polluting or the state of being polluted.

2. the introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment.

   air pollution.

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pollution British  

/ pəˈluːʃən /

noun

1. the act of polluting or the state of being polluted

2. harmful or poisonous substances introduced into an environment

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pollution Scientific  

/ pə-lo̅o̅′shən /

1. The contamination of air, water, or soil by substances that are harmful to living organisms. Pollution can occur naturally, for example through volcanic eruptions, or as the result of human activities, such as the spilling of oil or disposal of industrial waste.

2. ◆ Light from cities and towns at night that interferes with astronomical observations is known as light pollution. It can also disturb natural rhythms of growth in plants and other organisms.

3. ◆ Continuous noise that is loud enough to be annoying or physically harmful is known as noise pollution.

4. ◆ Heat from hot water that is discharged from a factory into a river or lake, where it can kill or endanger aquatic life, is known as thermal pollution.

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Other Word Forms

• self-pollution
  noun

Etymology

Origin of pollution

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English pollucioun, from Old French, from Late Latin pollūtiōn-, stem of pollūtiō “defilement”; equivalent to pollute + -ion

Explanation

Pollution is unwanted, harmful stuff contaminating an environment. The race to develop clean energy is motivated by high levels of pollution that people fear are permanently damaging the earth's environment. When you hear about pollution, you’re most likely hearing about chemical emissions into air or water that come from industrial processing. But pollution isn’t just environmental. Anything we think of as pure can be contaminated by pollution polluted, whether that's a lake or an idea. If your mother finds you reading trashy magazines instead of doing your homework, she might worry about the pollution of your mind.

Example Sentences

The pollution limit — or cap — declines each year, reducing the total amount of emissions in the state and helping California reach its ambitious climate targets, including 100% carbon neutrality by 2045.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026

Among the key updates to the program are the removal of 118 million pollution permits, or allowances, from the market by 2030, and 900 million after 2030.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026

In their report, council officials said no Scottish local authority had introduced a new-style local development plan policy specifically on light pollution.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

These systems are used in everything from disease diagnosis and food inspection to pollution monitoring.

From Science Daily • May 26, 2026

It runs on fossil fuel and creates tons of waste and pollution.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

Related Words

• abuse
• corruption
• deterioration
• infection