Contamination

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /kənˌtæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/

Definitions

1. The presence of unwanted or harmful substances mixed into something that should be pure or clean, often making it unsafe or unusable
2. The introduction of harmful pollutants into a substance or environment that compromises its purity and may endanger health or functionality
3. The unintended mixture of hazardous materials within a substance, resulting in its potential toxicity and reduction in quality or safety

Etymology: The Latin "contaminare" meant to touch, defile or pollute, and its root "tangere" means to touch. The word "contamination" passed into English from Latin "contaminationem", the accusative form of "contaminatio", the noun of action built on that verb. Its original sense was physical: something was defiled by contact with a foreign substance or with something unclean, and that core idea of mixing in what does not belong has stayed largely unchanged. Its earliest English uses were in the sense of ritual or moral defilement, and over time the word broadened to cover physical impurity in food, water, air and materials. Today it covers everything from chemical residues in soil to bacteria in a laboratory culture, so the sense of being touched by something unwanted has carried over into modern technical use.

Synonyms: pollution, tainting, infection, defilement, corruption

Antonyms: purification, cleanliness, sanitation, clarity, refinement