Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web

adulteration

 - 5 dictionary results

a⋅dul⋅ter⋅a⋅tion

[uh-duhl-tuh-rey-shuhn]
–noun
1. the act or process of adulterating.
2. the state of being adulterated.
3. something adulterated.

Origin:
1500–10; < L adulterātiōn- (s. of adulterātiō); see adulterate, -ion
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To adulteration
a·dul·ter·ate   (ə-dŭl'tə-rāt')   
tr.v.   a·dul·ter·at·ed, a·dul·ter·at·ing, a·dul·ter·ates
To make impure by adding extraneous, improper, or inferior ingredients.
adj.   (-tər-ĭt)
  1. Spurious; adulterated.

  2. Adulterous.


[Latin adulterāre, adulterāt-, to pollute; see al-1 in Indo-European roots.]
a·dul'ter·a'tion n., a·dul'ter·a'tor n.
Synonyms: These verbs mean to make impure or inferior by adding foreign substances to something: adulterate coffee with ground acorns; silver debased with copper; doctored the wine with water; rag paper loaded with wood fiber.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

adulteration 
1505, from L. adulterationem (nom. adulteratio), from adulteratus, pp. of adulterare "corrupt, debauch," from ad- "to" + L.L. alterare "to alter" (see alter).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: adul·ter·a·tion
Pronunciation: &-"d&l-t&-'rA-sh&n
Function: noun
1 : the process of adulterating : the condition of being adulterated
2 : an adulterated product
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

adulteration a·dul·ter·a·tion (ə-dŭl'tə-rā'shən)
n.
The alteration, especially the debasement, of a substance by deliberately adding something not ordinarily a part of it.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see adulteration on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us: