Finesentence logo

Contamination: meaning, definitions and examples

☣️
Add to dictionary

contamination

 

[ kənˌtæmɪˈneɪʃən ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

environmental

The action or state of making something impure by exposure to harmful substances.

Synonyms

impurity, pollution, tainting

Examples of usage

  • The contamination of the river by toxic chemicals has had a devastating impact on the local wildlife.
  • The contamination of the soil with heavy metals poses a serious threat to human health.
Context #2 | Noun

medical

The presence of an infectious agent on a body surface, in a wound, or in food or drink.

Synonyms

contagion, infection, transmission

Examples of usage

  • Proper sanitation is crucial to prevent the contamination of surgical instruments.
  • The contamination of the food supply led to a widespread outbreak of foodborne illness.
Context #3 | Noun

scientific

The introduction of unwanted organisms or substances into an environment.

Synonyms

adulteration, impurity, tainting

Examples of usage

  • The contamination of the experiment sample invalidates the results.
  • The contamination of the DNA sample compromised the genetic analysis.

Translations

Translations of the word "contamination" in other languages:

🇵🇹 contaminação

🇮🇳 प्रदूषण

🇩🇪 Kontamination

🇮🇩 kontaminasi

🇺🇦 забруднення

🇵🇱 zanieczyszczenie

🇯🇵 汚染 (osen)

🇫🇷 contamination

🇪🇸 contaminación

🇹🇷 kirlilik

🇰🇷 오염 (oyom)

🇸🇦 تلوث (talawwuth)

🇨🇿 kontaminace

🇸🇰 kontaminácia

🇨🇳 污染 (wūrǎn)

🇸🇮 onesnaženje

🇮🇸 mengun

🇰🇿 ластану

🇬🇪 დაბინძურება (dabindzureba)

🇦🇿 çirklənmə

🇲🇽 contaminación

Etymology

The word 'contamination' originated from the Latin word 'contaminare', which means 'to make impure'. The concept of contamination has been present throughout history, with civilizations implementing measures to prevent the spread of disease and maintain purity. In modern times, the term is widely used in environmental, medical, and scientific contexts to describe the presence of harmful substances or organisms in a specific area.

Word Frequency Rank

At #5,721 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.