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Synonyms of contaminate

defile, foul, poison, pollute, corrupt, infect, soil, adulterate, befoul, blight, debase, debauch

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contaminate

7 dictionary results for: contaminate

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

con·tam·i·nate

[v. kuh

n-tam-uh-neyt; n., adj. kuh

n-tam-uh-nit, -neyt] Pronunciation Key verb, -nat·ed, -nat·ing, noun, adjective

–verb (used with object)

1.	to make impure or unsuitable by contact or mixture with something unclean, bad, etc.: to contaminate a lake with sewage.

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

–noun

3.	something that contaminates or carries contamination; contaminant.

–adjective

4.	Obsolete. contaminated.

[Origin: 1375–1425; late ME contaminaten < L contāminātus, ptp. of contāmināre to defile, spoil, equiv. to con- con- + -tāminare, v. deriv. of *tāmen something touched < *tag-s-men, equiv. to tag-, var. s. of tangere to touch + -s-men resultative n. suffix; cf. examen

]

—Related forms

con·tam·i·na·ble, adjective

con·tam·i·na·tive, adjective

con·tam·i·na·tor, noun

con·tam·i·nous, adjective

—Synonyms 1. defile, pollute, taint, infect, poison, corrupt.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

con·tam·i·nate (kən-tām'ə-nāt') Pronunciation Key
tr.v. con·tam·i·nated, con·tam·i·nat·ing, con·tam·i·nates

To make impure or unclean by contact or mixture.
To expose to or permeate with radioactivity.

n. (-nĭt)
One that contaminates; a contaminant.

[Middle English contaminaten, from Latin contāmināre, contāmināt-; see tag- in Indo-European roots.]

con·tam'i·na'tive adj., con·tam'i·na'tor n.

Synonyms: These verbs mean to make dirty or impure: Pesticides contaminated the lake. Mud befouled my shoes. Noxious fumes fouled the air. Drugs poisoned her mind. Exhaust polluted the air. Improper storage tainted the food.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
contaminate

1526, from O.Fr. contaminer, from L. contaminatus, pp. of contaminare "to defile," from contamen "contact, pollution," from com- "together" + *tag-, base of tangere "to touch" (see tangent).

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

contaminate
verb
1.	make impure; "The industrial wastes polluted the lake" [syn: pollute]
2.	make radioactive by adding radioactive material; "Don't drink the water--it's contaminated" [ant: decontaminate]

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American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

contaminate con·tam·i·nate (kən-tām'ə-nāt')
v. con·tam·i·nated, con·tam·i·nat·ing, con·tam·i·nates

To make impure or unclean by contact or mixture.
To expose to or permeate with radioactivity.

con·tam·i·nant (-nənt) n.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Contaminate

Con*tam"i*nate\ (k[o^]n*t[a^]m"[i^]*n[=a]t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Contaminated; p. pr. & vb. n. Contaminating.] [L. contaminatus, p. p. of contaminare to bring into contact, to contaminate, fr. contamen contagion, for contagmen; con- + root of tangere to touch. See Contact.] To soil, stain, or corrupt by contact; to tarnish; to sully; to taint; to pollute; to defile.

Shall we now Contaminate our figures with base bribes? --Shak.

I would neither have simplicity imposed upon, nor virtue contaminated. --Goldsmith.

Syn: To pollute; defile; sully; taint; tarnish; soil; stain; corrupt.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Contaminate

Con*tam"i*nate\ (-n[asl]t), a. Contaminated; defiled; polluted; tainted. "Contaminate drink." --Daniel.

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