pollute
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English polluten, borrowed from Latin pollūtum, from pollūtus (“no longer virgin", "unchaste”), perfect passive participle of polluō (“soil", "defile", "dishonor”).
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
pollute (third-person singular simple present pollutes, present participle polluting, simple past and past participle polluted)
- (transitive) To make something harmful, especially by the addition of some unwanted product.
- The factory polluted the river when it cleaned its tanks.
- (transitive) To make something or somewhere less suitable for some activity, especially by the introduction of some unnatural factor.
- The lights from the stadium polluted the night sky, and we couldn't see the stars.
- To corrupt or profane
- 1952, Bible (Revised Standard Version, Revelation 21:8
- But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.
- 1952, Bible (Revised Standard Version, Revelation 21:8
- To violate sexually; to debauch; to dishonour.
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit
to make something harmful
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to make something or somewhere less suitable
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Adjective edit
pollute (comparative more pollute, superlative most pollute)
- (rare) Polluted; defiled.
Translations edit
References edit
- “pollute”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
Italian edit
Adjective edit
pollute
Latin edit
Participle edit
pollūte
Middle English edit
Verb edit
pollute
- Alternative form of polluten