taint
1
[ teynt ]
/ teɪnt /
noun
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
to become tainted; spoil.
Origin of taint
1
1325–75; conflation of Middle English
taynt, aphetic variant of
attaint struck, attainted, past participle of
attainten to
attaint; late Middle English
taynt hue,
tint < Anglo-French
teint (< Latin
tinctus, equivalent to
ting(ere) to dye,
tinge +
-tus suffix of v. action); and
teinte < Late Latin
tincta inked stroke, noun use of feminine of past participle of
tingere
OTHER WORDS FROM taint
un·taint·ed, adjective un·taint·ing, adjectiveWords nearby taint
Example sentences from the Web for untainted
British Dictionary definitions for untainted (1 of 2)
untainted
/ (ʌnˈteɪntɪd) /
adjective
not tarnished, contaminated, or polluted
he was untainted by the scandal
British Dictionary definitions for untainted (2 of 2)
taint
/ (teɪnt) /
verb
to affect or be affected by pollution or contamination
oil has tainted the water
to tarnish (someone's reputation, etc)
noun
a defect or flaw
a taint on someone's reputation
a trace of contamination or infection
Derived forms of taint
taintless, adjectiveWord Origin for taint
C14: (influenced by
attaint infected, from
attain) from Old French
teindre to dye, from Latin
tingere to dye