View synonyms for pollute

pollute

[ puh-loot ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

polluted, polluting.

to make foul or unclean, especially with harmful chemical or waste products; dirty:
to pollute the air with smoke.
Synonyms: befoul, soil
Antonyms: purify
to make morally unclean; defile.
Synonyms: deprave, debase, corrupt, vitiate, contaminate, taint
Antonyms: purify
to render ceremonially impure; desecrate:
to pollute a house of worship.
Informal. to render less effective or efficient:
The use of inferior equipment has polluted the company's service.

pollute

/ pəˈluːt /

verb

to contaminate, as with poisonous or harmful substances
to make morally corrupt or impure; sully
to desecrate or defile

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Derived Forms

polˈluter, noun

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Other Words From

pol·luter noun
pol·lutive adjective
nonpol·luting adjective
unpol·luting adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of pollute¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English polute, from Latin pollūtus, past participle of polluere “to soil, defile,” equivalent to pol-, assimilated variant of por- “forth, forward” (variant of prefix per- ), here marking completed action + -lū- base of -luere (akin to lutum “mud, dirt,” lustrum “muddy place”) + -tus past participle suffix; per-

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Word History and Origins

Origin of pollute¹

C14 polute, from Latin polluere to defile

Related Words

pollutant polluted

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