contaminate

[ verb kuhn-tam-uh-neyt; noun adjective kuhn-tam-uh-nit, -neyt ]

verb (used with object)

, con·tam·i·nat·ed, con·tam·i·nat·ing.

1. to make impure or unsuitable by contact or mixture with something unclean, bad, etc.:

   to contaminate a lake with sewage.

   Synonyms: corrupt, poison, infect, taint, pollute, defile

2. to render harmful or unusable by adding radioactive material to:

   to contaminate a laboratory.

noun

1. something that contaminates or carries contamination; contaminant.

adjective

1. Obsolete. contaminated.

contaminate

verb

1. to make impure, esp by touching or mixing; pollute
2. to make radioactive by the addition of radioactive material

adjective

1. archaic.
   contaminated

Derived Forms

• conˈtaminative, adjective
• conˈtaminable, adjective
• conˈtamiˌnator, noun
• conˈtaminant, noun

Other Words From

• con·tami·na·ble adjective
• con·tami·native adjective
• con·tami·nator noun
• con·tami·nous adjective
• noncon·tami·na·ble adjective
• noncon·tami·native adjective
• recon·tami·nate verb (used with object) recontaminated recontaminating
• self-con·tami·nating adjective
• uncon·tami·na·ble adjective
• uncon·tami·nated adjective
• uncon·tami·native adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of contaminate¹

1375–1425; late Middle English contaminaten < Latin contāminātus, past participle of contāmināre to defile, spoil, equivalent to con- con- + -tāminare, verbal derivative of *tāmen something touched < *tag-s-men, equivalent to tag-, variant stem of tangere to touch + -s-men resultative noun suffix; examen

Word History and Origins

Origin of contaminate¹

C15: from Latin contamināre to defile; related to Latin contingere to touch

Example Sentences

This highly contagious virus, which can cause severe liver inflammation, has evolved to spread through close person-to-person contact or through contaminated food and water.

From Science Daily

The women, who had all stayed with their children at the hospital, were accused of making their children ill by administering unprescribed drugs and by deliberately contaminating their feeding lines with faecal material.

From BBC

Moreover, nitrate runoff from manure continues to contaminate drinking water, disproportionately affecting disadvantaged communities reliant on domestic wells.

From Los Angeles Times

The substances widely contaminate the air, soil, and water.

From Science Magazine

Mr Haas also said the idea that J&J hid the contaminated contents of its products from the public, government and other groups was "inconceivable and false".

From BBC

Related Words

• corrupt
• harm
• infect
• injure
• poison
• pollute
• stain
• taint
• tarnish