pollutant

American  

[puh-loot-nt] / pəˈlut nt /

noun

1. something that pollutes.

2. any substance, as certain chemicals or waste products, that renders the air, soil, water, or other natural resource harmful or unsuitable for a specific purpose.

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pollutant British  

/ pəˈluːtənt /

noun

1. a substance that pollutes, esp a chemical or similar substance that is produced as a waste product of an industrial process

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pollutant Scientific  

/ pə-lo̅o̅t′nt /

1. A substance or condition that contaminates air, water, or soil. Pollutants can be artificial substances, such as pesticides and PCBs, or naturally occurring substances, such as oil or carbon dioxide, that occur in harmful concentrations in a given environment. Heat transmitted to natural waterways through warm-water discharge from power plants and uncontained radioactivity from nuclear wastes are also considered pollutants.

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Other Word Forms

• nonpollutant adjective

Etymology

Origin of pollutant

First recorded in 1890–95; pollute + -ant

Example Sentences

The Iran war is unleashing a toxic mix of chemicals, heavy metals and other pollutants that threaten everything from agriculture to drinking water to people’s health.

From Los Angeles Times

And of course pollutants get trapped in the atmosphere, causing global heating and climate change that threatens to upend all life on the planet.

From Salon

Coal is a top contributor to planet-warming greenhouse gases, and also a powerful air pollutant that is harmful for human health.

From Barron's

It combined several approaches, including environmental monitoring, studies of how pollutants build up in organisms, analyses of genetic damage in aquatic life, and experiments using plants to remove contaminants.

From Science Daily

Missiles and bombs contain heavy metals and other toxic pollutants, which can linger for decades in air, soil and water.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• poison
• pollution
• toxic waste
• toxin