contaminating

Variant of contaminate

contaminate definition

con·tami·nate (kən tam′ə nāt′)

transitive verb contaminated -·nat′ed, contaminating -·nat′·ing

to make impure, infected, corrupt, radioactive, etc. by contact with or addition of something; pollute; defile; sully; taint

Etymology: ME contaminaten < L contaminatus, pp. of contaminare, to defile < contamen, contact, contagion < com-, together + base of tangere, to touch: see tact

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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