English Meaning & Definitions
To contaminate or make physically impure, foul, or harmful, typically by adding poisonous or waste substances to the environment.
- “Industrial factories continue to pollute the local river with chemical runoff.”
- “The city's air is heavily polluted by exhaust fumes from thousands of idling cars.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “pollute”.
Derived from the Latin 'polluere', meaning 'to soil, defile, or contaminate'. It is likely formed from the prefix 'por-' (before) and 'luere' (to wash), suggesting a sense of washing over something with filth, effectively ruining its purity.
Think of 'pool' + 'lute': If you drop a dirty lute into a swimming pool, you will pollute the water.
Frequently Asked Questions About “pollute”
1. What is the meaning of “pollute” in English?
In English, pollute (verb) is defined as: “To contaminate or make physically impure, foul, or harmful, typically by adding poisonous or waste substances to the environment.”.
2. How do you use “pollute” in a sentence?
“Industrial factories continue to pollute the local river with chemical runoff.”
3. What are English synonyms of “pollute”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “pollute”?
Derived from the Latin 'polluere', meaning 'to soil, defile, or contaminate'. It is likely formed from the prefix 'por-' (before) and 'luere' (to wash), suggesting a sense of washing over something with filth, effectively ruining its purity.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.