contaminate
[ verb kuhn-tam-uh-neyt; noun, adjective kuhn-tam-uh-nit, -neyt ]
/ verb kənˈtæm əˌneɪt; noun, adjective kənˈtæm ə nɪt, -ˌneɪt /
verb (used with object), con·tam·i·nat·ed, con·tam·i·nat·ing.
to make impure or unsuitable by contact or mixture with something unclean, bad, etc.: to contaminate a lake with sewage.
to render harmful or unusable by adding radioactive material to: to contaminate a laboratory.
noun
something that contaminates or carries contamination; contaminant.
adjective
Obsolete.
contaminated.
Origin of contaminate
1375–1425; late Middle English
contaminaten < Latin
contāminātus, past participle of
contāmināre to defile, spoil, equivalent to
con-
con- +
-tāminare, verbal derivative of
*tāmen something touched <
*tag-s-men, equivalent to
tag-, variant stem of
tangere to touch +
-s-men resultative noun suffix; cf.
examen
OTHER WORDS FROM contaminate
Words nearby contaminate
containership,
containment,
containment, policy of,
contakion,
contaminant,
contaminate,
contamination,
contango,
contd,
contd.,
conte
Example sentences from the Web for contaminator
The contaminator is sure to be seized and confined till prudence, if not virtue, ties his tongue.
It Is Never Too Late to Mend |Charles Reade
British Dictionary definitions for contaminator
contaminate
verb (kənˈtæmɪˌneɪt) (tr)
to make impure, esp by touching or mixing; pollute
to make radioactive by the addition of radioactive material
adjective (kənˈtæmɪnɪt, -ˌneɪt)
archaic
contaminated
Derived forms of contaminate
contaminable, adjective contaminant, noun contaminative, adjective contaminator, nounWord Origin for contaminate
C15: from Latin
contamināre to defile; related to Latin
contingere to touch
Medical definitions for contaminator
contaminate
[ kən-tăm′ə-nāt′ ]
v.
To make impure or unclean by contact or mixture.
To expose to or permeate with radioactivity.