contamination

noun

con·tam·i·na·tion kən-ˌta-mə-ˈnā-shən

: a process of contaminating : a state of being contaminated

: contaminant

Example Sentences

swimming in the lake is banned until the contamination is identified and neutralized

Recent Examples on the Web Some of this is accidental contamination from mining spoils or agricultural fertilizers.

James Gaines, Wired, 12 Feb. 2022 But the process could produce cleaner, safer meats than sprawling slaughterhouses, which are especially prone to contamination from E. coli, salmonella, and other pathogens.

Steve Mollman, Fortune, 18 Nov. 2022 Dealers might sloppily cut the drugs in the same place, leading to cross-contamination, while others might lace meth with fentanyl to hook more users, researchers and former users say.

Jon Kamp, WSJ, 14 Nov. 2022 Cigarette smoke and gasoline both contain the chemical, meaning oil spills can contribute to benzene contamination—especially if near a water supply.

Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 28 Oct. 2022 Numerous Pine-Sol products have been recalled due to possible bacterial contamination.

Maggie O'neill, SELF, 27 Oct. 2022 Dirty bombs don’t have the devastating destruction of a nuclear explosion but could expose broad areas to radioactive contamination.

BostonGlobe.com, 26 Oct. 2022 That’s how many pounds of sausage produced by Bob Evans Farms has been recalled due to possible contamination, according to the FDA.

Alexandra Meeks, CNN, 26 Oct. 2022 Energoatom warned that destruction of containers stored there could lead to radiation contamination over hundreds of square miles.

John Bacon, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'contamination.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English contaminacioun, borrowed from Latin contāminātiōn-, contāminātiō "defilement, pollution," from contāmināre "to defile, pollute" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at contaminate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of contamination was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century