noun
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the act of polluting or the state of being polluted
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harmful or poisonous substances introduced into an environment
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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.
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◆ 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.
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◆ Continuous noise that is loud enough to be annoying or physically harmful is known as noise pollution.
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◆ 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
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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The majority of plastic pollution may no longer be visible at all.
From Science Daily
But those living nearby have raised concerns about the impact it will have on light pollution, wildlife and the surrounding area.
From BBC
The issue, he said, is that certain projects are "expensive to run," and "the pollution from them is also considerable."
From Barron's
Marine annelids are found across nearly all ocean environments, where they help mix sediments, recycle nutrients, signal pollution levels, and support marine food webs.
From Science Daily
It provides strong evidence that fish relying on connected rivers across national borders are declining quickly due to dam construction, habitat fragmentation, pollution, overfishing, and climate-related ecosystem changes.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
