adulteration

noun

adul·​ter·​a·​tion ə-ˌdəl-tə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce adulteration (audio)
1
: the process of adulterating : the condition of being adulterated
2
: an adulterated product

Examples of adulteration in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There is no requirement that kratom products be tested for contamination or adulteration with other substances. Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2024 It’s been third-party tested for heavy metals, microbes, potency, identity, and adulteration. Kelsey Kunik, Rd, Health, 29 Dec. 2023 Turmeric adulteration was declared a crime, and a multifaceted media campaign ranged from TV broadcasts of the prime minister discussing the challenge, to a sting operation in a street market that fined sellers of spice that tested positive for lead. Jules Struck, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Dec. 2023 Because the industry is largely unregulated, there is a risk of contamination or adulteration. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 8 Sep. 2023 Developed to help trace patterns in adulteration, the database includes more than a thousand cases from 1980 to 2010 and records exactly what the foods were mixed with and how the adulteration was detected, along with links to the press reports and scientific papers on each case. Veronique Greenwood, Discover Magazine, 9 Apr. 2012 One of the most infamous cases of recent adulteration, in China in 2008, involved dairy products mixed with melamine . Veronique Greenwood, Discover Magazine, 9 Apr. 2012 Anesthesiologist Raynaldo Rivera Ortiz Jr., 59, faces federal charges of tampering with a consumer product causing death and intentional drug adulteration. Dallas News, 4 Oct. 2022 Did that count as adulteration or not? Benjamin R. Cohen, Wired, 8 Oct. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'adulteration.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French adulteracion, borrowed from Latin adulterātiōn-, adulterātiō, from adulterāre "to adulterate entry 1" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

1503, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of adulteration was in 1503

Dictionary Entries Near adulteration

Cite this Entry

“Adulteration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adulteration. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

adulteration

noun
adul·​ter·​a·​tion ə-ˌdəl-tə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce adulteration (audio)
1
: the process of adulterating : the condition of being adulterated
2
: an adulterated product

More from Merriam-Webster on adulteration

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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