pollution

[puh-loo-shuhn]

noun

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

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

   air pollution.

pollution

/ pəˈluːʃən /

noun

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

2. harmful or poisonous substances introduced into an environment

pollution

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.

Other Word Forms

• self-pollution noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pollution¹

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

Example Sentences

The campaign group is also claiming the planning process failed to properly factor in additional noise pollution and impact on air quality.

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She added that challenging such adverts was important because of the pollution risk to the environment from agricultural pollution.

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This seasonal pattern of sunshine intersects with a deeper, long-standing problem: India's severe air pollution crisis - it's now among the world's top 10 polluted countries - which scientists trace back to the 1990s.

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"I always see the environment around me dirty... I wanted to control pollution," he told AFP as he prepared his avant-garde outfits in his single-room home before the show.

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Lawyers for the motorists will claim they were deceived about how environmentally friendly the vehicles were, and that the cars still on the road are continuing to emit dangerous levels of pollution.

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Related Words

• abuse 
• corruption 
• deterioration 
• infection