pollute

English

Etymology

From Middle English polluten, borrowed from Latin pollūtum, from pollūtus (“no longer virgin", "unchaste”), perfect passive participle of polluō (“soil", "defile", "dishonor”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pəˈluːt/, /pəˈljuːt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uːt

Verb

pollute (third-person singular simple present pollutes, present participle polluting, simple past and past participle polluted)

1. (transitive) To make something harmful, especially by the addition of some unwanted product.

   The factory polluted the river when it cleaned its tanks.

2. (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.

3. 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.

4. To violate sexually; to debauch; to dishonour.

Derived terms

• polluter
• self-pollute

Related terms

• pollutant
• pollution

Translations

Adjective

pollute (comparative more pollute, superlative most pollute)

1. (rare) Polluted; defiled.

Translations

References

• “pollute”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Italian

Adjective

pollute

1. feminine plural of polluto

Latin

Participle

pollūte

1. vocative masculine singular of pollūtus

Middle English

Verb

pollute

1. Alternative form of polluten