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

Example sentences from the Web for contaminator

  • The contaminator is sure to be seized and confined till prudence, if not virtue, ties his tongue.

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, noun

Word Origin for contaminate

C15: from Latin contamināre to defile; related to Latin contingere to touch

Medical definitions for contaminator

contaminate
[ kən-tămə-nāt′ ]

v.

To make impure or unclean by contact or mixture.
To expose to or permeate with radioactivity.

Other words from contaminate

con•tam•i•nant (-nənt) n.