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

He says spills from oil wells and pipelines were "a recurring situation", and that he was involved in transporting contaminated soil away from roads, so it would not be seen.

From BBC

He was contaminated after the nerve agent was smeared on former Russian spy Mr Skripal’s door handle in Salisbury in March 2018.

From BBC

Female oriental fruit flies contaminate fruit by laying eggs inside it, according to the California Department Food and Agriculture.

From Los Angeles Times

It spreads through birds' droppings and saliva, or through contaminated feed and water.

From BBC

The company noted that a voluntary recall was initiated to “retrieve the potentially affected product,” even though the finished product testing hasn’t revealed any contaminated products.

From Salon

Related Words

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