contaminate
UK[kənˈtæmɪneɪt]US[kənˈtæmɪneɪt]
v
to make something dirty, polluted, or poisonous by adding a harmful substance.
v
to make something impure or unsuitable by contact or mixture with something unclean, bad, etc.
Morpheme Breakdown
con
tamin
ate
con
together, with
tamin
to touch, to defile
ate
to make, to act
Etymology
the word 'contaminate' originates from the latin verb 'contaminare', which means 'to defile, pollute, or corrupt'. this latin term is built from the prefix 'con-', intensifying the notion of 'togetherness' or 'contact', and the root 'tamin-', related to 'tango' (to touch), suggesting the act of touching something in a way that spoils it. the semantic evolution moved from the physical act of touching and mixing to the more abstract concept of making something impure or harmful through contact or admixture. the suffix '-ate' was adopted into english to form the verb, solidifying its meaning as the action of causing pollution or corruption.
Analysis
Structure: con + tamin + ate
con- (latin, prefix meaning 'together, with'); tamin (latin root 'taminare' meaning 'to touch, to defile'); -ate (latin, suffix forming verbs meaning 'to make, to act').
Examples
the chemical spill could contaminate the local water supply for decades.
it is crucial not to contaminate the sterile equipment in the operating room.
false information on social media can contaminate public discourse.