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con·tam·i·nate
[v. kuhn-tam-uh-neyt; n., adj. kuhn-tam-uh-nit, -neyt] 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.
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Contaminating
is always a great word to know.
So is zedonk. Does it mean:
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
adjective
4.
Obsolete. contaminated.
Origin:
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; compare examen
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; compare 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
non·con·tam·i·na·ble, adjective
EXPANDnon·con·tam·i·na·tive, adjective
re·con·tam·i·nate, verb (used with object), -nat·ed, -nat·ing.
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
COLLAPSESynonyms
1. defile, pollute, taint, infect, poison, corrupt.
1. defile, pollute, taint, infect, poison, corrupt.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
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Link To contaminating
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
contaminate
1520s, 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). Related: Contaminant (1934).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
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.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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