transitive verb polluted -·lut′ed, polluting -·lut′·ing

1. to make unclean, impure, or corrupt; defile; dirty
2. to contaminate (water, air, etc.) with harmful chemicals, waste material, etc.

Etymology: ME poluten < L pollutus, pp. of polluere, to pollute < *por-, for per-, intens. + -luere, to soil < IE base *leu-, dirt > Gr lyma, dirt