Adulterated: meaning, definitions and examples

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adulterated

 

[ əˈdʌltəreɪtɪd ]

Adjective / Verb
Context #1 | Adjective

food safety

Adulterated refers to a product that has been made weaker or less pure by the addition of foreign or inferior substances. In food safety, it specifically refers to food items that have been contaminated or altered in a way that can deceive consumers or reduce quality.

Synonyms

contaminated, diluted, impaired, tainted

Examples of usage

  • The milk was found to be adulterated with water.
  • Adulterated spices can pose serious health risks.
  • Consumers should be aware of adulterated products in the market.
Context #2 | Verb

ingredient quality

To adulterate means to make something poorer in quality by adding another substance. This action often occurs in the food industry, where cheaper ingredients might be added to increase profit margins but at the expense of consumer health.

Synonyms

contaminate, corrupt, debase, dilute

Examples of usage

  • They adulterate honey to cut costs.
  • Some companies adulterate their products for increased marketability.
  • It's illegal to adulterate food and sell it.

Translations

Translations of the word "adulterated" in other languages:

🇵🇹 adulterado

🇮🇳 अशुद्ध

🇩🇪 verfälscht

🇮🇩 tercampur

🇺🇦 спотворений

🇵🇱 oszukany

🇯🇵 混ぜ物のある

🇫🇷 adultéré

🇪🇸 adulterado

🇹🇷 sahtelendirilmiş

🇰🇷 혼합된

🇸🇦 مُغَيَّر

🇨🇿 zfalšovaný

🇸🇰 falšovaný

🇨🇳 掺杂的

🇸🇮 ponarejen

🇮🇸 falsaður

🇰🇿 араласқан

🇬🇪 შეურიებული

🇦🇿 qeyri-təmiz

🇲🇽 adulterado

Word origin

The word 'adulterated' comes from the Latin root 'adulterare', which means 'to corrupt or soil'. 'Adulterare' is a combination of 'ad-' meaning 'to' and 'ulter' meaning 'other'. The word entered the English language around the 15th century. Initially, it was used broadly to describe corruption or impurity in general terms. Over time, its usage has narrowed, particularly in legal and regulatory contexts related to food and pharmaceuticals. Adulteration has been a significant concern in various cultures, leading to laws and regulations aimed at preventing the practice to protect consumers. The concept highlights issues of integrity and safety in goods that people consume and highlights the ongoing battle against fraud in food production.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #16,017, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.