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adulterate definition

adul·ter·ate (ə dul′tər āt′; for adj., -tər it)

transitive verb adulterated -·at′ed, adulterating -·at′·ing

to make inferior, impure, not genuine, etc. by adding a harmful, less valuable, or prohibited substance

Etymology: < L adulteratus, pp. of adulterare, to falsify < adulter, an adulterer, counterfeiter < ad-, to + alter, other, another

adjective

  1. guilty of adultery; adulterous
  2. adulterated; not genuine

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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