pollute
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From Middle English polluten, from Latin pollūtum, from pollūtus (“no longer virgin", "unchaste”), perfect passive participle of polluō (“soil", "defile", "dishonor”).
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.
- (dated) To corrupt or profane
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
to make something harmful
to make something or somewhere less suitable
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Adjective [edit]
pollute
- (rare) Polluted.
Translations [edit]
References [edit]
- pollute in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
Latin [edit]
Participle [edit]
pollūte
- vocative masculine singular of pollūtus
