View synonyms for contaminate

contaminate

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

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

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

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
to render harmful or unusable by adding radioactive material to:
to contaminate a laboratory.

noun

something that contaminates or carries contamination; contaminant.

adjective

Obsolete. contaminated.

contaminate

verb

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

adjective

archaic.
contaminated

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Derived Forms

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

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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

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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

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Word History and Origins

Origin of contaminate¹

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

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Example Sentences

The hope, according to Rucker, is that Beck threatens to contaminate Fox News' overall brand.

From The Daily Beast

"They were afraid they would contaminate the other embryos," said Monica.

From The Daily Beast

In practice they do not transfer to knife edges or cross-contaminate other foods because the board will not let go of them.

From The Daily Beast

To purify liquids by the dissipation of the volatile matters which may contaminate them.

From Project Gutenberg

How could I know a wretched exile had returned to contaminate the soil with foreign vulgarity?

From Project Gutenberg

One spotted peach will contaminate an entire basket, one drop of ink cloud a full glass of clear water.

From Project Gutenberg

Did you think for a moment that I would leave this angel from heaven here, for you to contaminate with your filthy breath!

From Project Gutenberg

Even his engagements in the service of excise did not, at first, threaten either to contaminate the poet or to ruin the farmer.

From Project Gutenberg

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contaminant contamination

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