Contaminates

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Introduces unwanted substances or impurities into something, making it unsafe or dirty
2. Adds pollutants or harmful elements to an environment or object, spoiling its original condition
3. Causes something to become unclean or toxic by mixing in foreign or dangerous materials

Etymology: Latin "contāminō" originally meant to touch together or mingle, and the sense of defilement grew out of that physical contact. Its root is thought to be related to "tangere," "to touch," and it is connected to English "taste," "tax," and "taxi," which all share the same Indo-European base. The idea behind the Latin verb seems to be bringing things into touch so that they blend, and a blend of something pure with something foreign was felt to ruin it. English borrowed the word in the early 15th century, in Middle English, from the past participle "contāminātus," which meant "sullied" or "defiled." The English verb was then formed by adding the verb-forming suffix "-en," and early speakers used it for both moral defilement and infection with disease. The "-ate" ending in the Latin source comes from the same family of verb-forming suffixes found in many other borrowed words.

Synonyms: pollutes, taints, infects, spoils, corrupts

Antonyms: purifies, cleans, sanitizes, refines, disinfects