Contaminate

Pronunciation: /kənˈtæməˌneɪt/

Definitions of contaminate

verb to make something impure or polluted by contact or mixture with something unclean or harmful

Example Sentences

A1 Please do not contaminate the water by throwing trash in it.

A2 The factory's waste has contaminated the nearby river.

B1 It is important to avoid contaminating food with bacteria.

B2 The oil spill has contaminated the entire coastline.

C1 The scientist discovered that the air in the city was heavily contaminated with pollutants.

C2 The nuclear accident led to a large area being contaminated with radiation.

Examples of contaminate in a Sentence

formal The factory's waste disposal practices led to the contamination of the nearby river.

informal Don't contaminate the kitchen counters with raw meat juices.

slang I accidentally contaminated my phone with water when it fell in the toilet.

figurative Negative thoughts can contaminate your mind if you don't practice mindfulness.

Grammatical Forms of contaminate

• past tense: contaminated
• plural: contaminates
• comparative: more contaminated
• superlative: most contaminated
• present tense: contaminates
• future tense: will contaminate
• perfect tense: has contaminated
• continuous tense: is contaminating
• singular: contaminates
• positive degree: contaminate
• infinitive: contaminate
• gerund: contaminating
• participle: contaminating

Origin and Evolution of contaminate

First Known Use: 1400 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'contaminate' originated from the Latin word 'contaminatus', which means 'to make impure'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'contaminate' has retained its original meaning of making something impure or polluted, but has also come to be used in a broader sense to refer to any form of corruption or tainting.