contamination

noun

con·​tam·​i·​na·​tion kən-ˌta-mə-ˈnā-shən 

1

: a process of contaminating : a state of being contaminated

2

: contaminant

Synonyms of contamination

• contaminant
• pollutant

Examples of contamination in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

These conditions have fueled widespread reports of labor exploitation, environmental damage and violent disputes over territory, while mercury contamination from gold extraction has posed serious risks to indigenous communities and fragile ecosystems. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026

The full scale of radioactive contamination from the Chornobyl disaster will likely never be known. —Benjamin MacK-Jackson, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026

Ghirardelli said no illnesses have been reported and its own testing has not identified contamination in the finished products. —Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026

The contamination in Owino Uhuru dates back to 2007, when Kenya Metal Refineries EPZ, a local subsidiary of a company based in Mumbai, India, operated a lead-acid battery recycling plant within the settlement. —ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026

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

Phrases Containing contamination

• cross-contamination
• self-contamination

Rhymes for contamination

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Medical Definition

contamination

noun

con·​tam·​i·​na·​tion kən-ˌtam-ə-ˈnā-shən 

1

: a process of contaminating : a state of being contaminated

2

: something that contaminates