contaminates
|con/ta/mi/nates|
🇺🇸
/kənˈtæməˌneɪt/
🇬🇧
/kənˈtæmɪneɪt/
(contaminate)
made impure
Etymology
'contaminate' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'contaminare', where 'con-' meant 'together' and the root is related to 'tangere' meaning 'to touch' (hence 'to touch together, defile').
'contaminate' changed from Medieval Latin 'contaminatus'/'contaminare' and entered English in the late 15th century via Medieval/Church Latin and Anglo-French usage, eventually becoming the modern English 'contaminate'.
Initially, it meant 'to touch together' or 'to defile/soil'; over time it evolved into the current sense of 'to make impure, polluted, or harmful by introducing undesirable substances or influences'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
to make something impure, unsafe, or unsuitable by introducing harmful, poisonous, or undesirable substances; to pollute or soil by contact or mixture.
The factory contaminates the local water supply with chemical runoff.
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Verb 2
to corrupt or spoil something non-physical (ideas, morals, discourse) by introducing harmful elements or influences.
Misinformation contaminates public debate and makes it harder to find solutions.
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Last updated: 2026/01/04 01:32