contaminate
verb /kənˈtæmɪneɪt/
/kənˈtæmɪneɪt/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they contaminate | /kənˈtæmɪneɪt/ /kənˈtæmɪneɪt/ |
| he / she / it contaminates | /kənˈtæmɪneɪts/ /kənˈtæmɪneɪts/ |
| past simple contaminated | /kənˈtæmɪneɪtɪd/ /kənˈtæmɪneɪtɪd/ |
| past participle contaminated | /kənˈtæmɪneɪtɪd/ /kənˈtæmɪneɪtɪd/ |
| -ing form contaminating | /kənˈtæmɪneɪtɪŋ/ /kənˈtæmɪneɪtɪŋ/ |
- contaminate something (with something) to make a substance or place dirty or no longer pure by adding a substance that is dangerous or carries disease synonym adulterate
- The drinking water has become contaminated with lead.
- contaminated blood/food/soil
- a river contaminated by pollution
- These substances can contaminate groundwater.
- contaminate something (formal) to influence people’s ideas or attitudes in a bad way
- They were accused of contaminating the minds of our young people.
see also uncontaminated
Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin contaminat- ‘made impure’, from the verb contaminare, from contamen ‘contact, pollution’, from con- ‘together with’ + the base of tangere ‘to touch’.