vitiate
Meaning
to destroy or reduce the effectiveness or quality of something; to make something faulty or imperfect.
to make something legally invalid or void.
Structure
Usage
the presence of a biased member will vitiate the entire committee's decision.
a single factual error can vitiate an otherwise strong legal argument.
the contract was vitiated because it was signed under duress.
Etymology
the word vitiate entered english in the 16th century, derived from the latin verb 'vitiare', meaning 'to make faulty, to corrupt'. this verb itself stems from the latin noun 'vitium', denoting a fault, defect, or moral failing. the core semantic thread from its latin root to its modern english usage is the concept of introducing a flaw or impurity, thereby spoiling the integrity, quality, or validity of something. thus, the logical progression is from a concrete 'fault' to the abstract action of 'to impair' or 'to invalidate'.
Analysis
viti originates from latin 'vitium', meaning a fault, defect, or vice. ate is a suffix of latin origin used to form verbs meaning 'to make' or 'to become'.