adulterate

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

Dated 16th Century CE; modified from adulteration, likely with earlier origin in the Latin past‐participle adulteratus.

Adjective

adulterate (comparative more adulterate, superlative most adulterate)

1. Tending to commit adultery.
   • 1594, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, I.v.

     Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast,

     With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts-

     O wicked wit and gifts, that have the power

     So to seduce!- won to his shameful lust

     The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen.

2. Corrupted; impure; adulterated.

Verb

adulterate (third-person singular simple present adulterates, present participle adulterating, simple past and past participle adulterated)

1. To corrupt.
2. To spoil by adding impurities.

Synonyms

• debase (2)

Derived terms

• adulterant
• adulteration

Translations

to corrupt

Spanish: adulterar (es)

Swedish: korrumpera (sv)

References

• “adulterate” in the Online Etymology Dictionary, Douglas Harper, 2001

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Italian

Verb

adulterate

1. second-person plural present indicative of adulterare
2. second-person plural imperative of adulterare
3. Feminine plural of adulterato

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Latin

Verb

adulterāte

1. first-person plural present active imperative of adulterō