pollute

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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• 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. (dated) To corrupt or profane
   • 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.” —Revelation 21:8 (RSV)
4. To violate sexually; to debauch; to dishonour.

Adjective

pollute (comparative more pollute, superlative most pollute)

1. (rare) Polluted; defiled.

References

• pollute in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Participle

pollūte

1. vocative masculine singular of pollūtus