contaminate
/kənˈtæmɪneɪt/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 2.83 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To make something dangerous or toxic by introducing impurities or foreign matter.
Transitive verb
verb
To make unfit for use by the introduction of unwholesome or undesirable elements.
Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "This water is contaminated. It isn't safe to drink."
- "Bombs and munitions meanwhile contain toxic substances that contaminate soil, water, and vegetation."
- "Shall we now Contaminate our figures with base bribes?"
- "I would neither have simplicity imposed upon, nor virtue contaminated."
- "[Martin] Heidegger's repellent political beliefs do not contaminate his philosophical work."
- "Do not contaminate the peanut butter with the jelly."
Etymology
First attested in the early 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English; from Middle English contaminaten (“to defile; to infect with desease”), from contaminat(e) (“sullied, defiled; infected with desease”, also used as the past participle of contaminaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), from Latin contāminātus, the perfect passive participle of contāminō (“to touch together, blend, mingle, corrupt, defile”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), which see for further informations. More at taste, tax, and taxi.
Origin
- Source language: Middle English
- First known use: First attested in the early 15ᵗʰ century
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /kənˈtæmɪneɪt/
- British English: /kənˈtæmɪneɪt/
Usage
Inflected Forms
contaminates (present, singular)
contaminating (participle, present)
contaminated (participle, past)
contaminated (past)
more contaminate (comparative)
most contaminate (superlative)