Contaminate

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /kənˈtæmɪneɪt/

Definitions

1. To make something impure, unsafe, or unsuitable by introducing harmful or unwanted substances
2. To taint or spoil something by introducing pollutants or harmful substances that compromise its cleanliness or safety
3. To render something unclean or unsafe by introducing detrimental elements or substances that interfere with its purity or integrity

Etymology: The Latin "contaminare" was a verb of touch and mixing before it ever meant spoiling. Its root idea is "to touch together," and the Romans used it for blending things and, by extension, for corrupting or defiling them. The English word arrived in the early 15th century through Middle English "contaminaten," which meant "to defile" or "to infect with disease." Its past participle "contaminat," meaning "sullied" or "defiled," was in use alongside it and for a time served as the participle itself. Behind the Latin lies a family of words that all turn on contact. The Latin verb is built from "con-," meaning "together," and "tangere," meaning "to touch," so the basic picture is of things brought into touch until they mix. The same stem gives English "tangent" and "tact," and the notion of mixing that the Romans attached to it survives in the sense of impurity spreading from one thing to another.

Synonyms: pollute, taint

Antonyms: purify, cleanse