View synonyms for taint

taint

[ teynt ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a trace of something bad, offensive, or harmful.
Synonyms: stain, blemish, spot, fault, flaw, defect
a trace of infection, contamination, or the like.
a trace of dishonor or discredit.
Obsolete. color; tint.

verb (used with object)

to modify by or as if by a trace of something offensive or deleterious.
to infect, contaminate, corrupt, or spoil.
Synonyms: poison, pollute, defile
to sully or tarnish (a person's name, reputation, etc.).
Synonyms: stain, dishonor
Obsolete. to color or tint.

verb (used without object)

to become tainted; spoil.

taint

or t'aint

noun

, Slang: Vulgar.

the area between the testicles or vulva and the anus; the perineum.

taint

/ teɪnt /

verb

to affect or be affected by pollution or contamination
oil has tainted the water
to tarnish (someone's reputation, etc)

noun

a defect or flaw
a taint on someone's reputation
a trace of contamination or infection

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Derived Forms

ˈtaintless, adjective

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Other Words From

un·taint·ing adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of taint¹

First recorded in 1325–75; conflation of Middle English taynt, shortened variant of attaint “struck, attainted,” past participle of attainten “to convict” ( attaint ), late Middle English taynt “hue, tint” ( tint ), from Anglo-French teint or directly from Latin tinctus, equivalent to ting(ere) “to dye, color“ ( tinge ) + -tus suffix of verb action); and teinte, from Late Latin tincta “inked stroke,” noun use of feminine of past participle of tingere

Origin of taint²

First recorded in 1955–60; casual pronunciation of it ain’t (the one or the other), i.e., it is the area in between

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Word History and Origins

Origin of taint¹

C14: (influenced by attaint infected, from attain ) from Old French teindre to dye, from Latin tingere to dye

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