contamination

noun

con·​tam·​i·​na·​tion kən-ˌta-mə-ˈnā-shən 

1

: a process of contaminating : a state of being contaminated

2

: contaminant

Synonyms

• contaminant
• pollutant

Examples of contamination in a Sentence

swimming in the lake is banned until the contamination is identified and neutralized

Recent Examples on the Web

Ben Mead, managing director of Hohenstein Americas, the largest provider of testing for Oeko-Tex, says some limitations are so strict that even contamination on the machinery from previous runs can show up in testing. —Sophie Benson, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025

Be mindful to keep it at a distance from their food bowl or litter tray to avoid contamination. —Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025

Oats are often processed in facilities that also handle gluten-containing grains, which can lead to cross-contamination. —Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 29 Oct. 2025

Critics have claimed that the transients could be photographic defects, or contamination, especially as the plates are quite old and were stored away for many decades before being digitized. —Keith Cooper, Space.com, 29 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English contaminacioun, borrowed from Latin contāminātiōn-, contāminātiō "defilement, pollution," from contāmināre "to defile, pollute" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at contaminate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing contamination

• cross contamination
• self-contamination

Rhymes for contamination

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Medical Definition

contamination

noun

con·​tam·​i·​na·​tion kən-ˌtam-ə-ˈnā-shən 

1

: a process of contaminating : a state of being contaminated

2

: something that contaminates