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

• adulterant
• contaminant
• defilement
• impurity
• 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

The findings come as Southern California beaches near the United States-Mexico border have repeatedly faced closures due to contamination. —Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025

The contamination was found by FSIS in a routine sample collection of FreshRealm's chicken fettuccine Alfredo in March of this year. —Rachel Raposas, People.com, 18 June 2025

The preservative protects against contamination in the larger vials. —ArsTechnica, 18 June 2025

The provision added Thursday would also expand coverage areas in several states for those exposed to radioactive contamination that blew downwind from government sites. —Arkansas Online, 14 June 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