pollute
UK[pəˈluːt]US[pəˈluːt]
v
to make air, water, or land dirty and dangerous, especially with waste or chemicals.
v
to spoil or ruin something morally or spiritually.
Etymology
the verb 'pollute' entered english in the late 14th century from the latin 'polluere', meaning 'to defile, contaminate, or make unclean'. this latin term is thought to be a compound of 'por-' (a variant of 'pro-', meaning 'forth') and '-luere', a base related to 'lutum' (mud, dirt) or linked to the verb 'luere' (to wash). the original sense was thus 'to wash with filth' or 'to soil thoroughly'. the meaning evolved from a physical defilement to encompass moral and spiritual corruption, before specializing again in the modern era to primarily describe environmental contamination.
Analysis
the word 'pollute' is a simplex form derived as a whole from latin.
Examples
factories that pollute the river with toxic waste will face heavy fines.
many fear that violent images on television pollute the minds of young viewers.
the campaign aims to reduce the number of cars that pollute the city's air.