contaminant
kuhn-TAM-uh-nuhnt
/kənˈtæmɪnənt/
A polluting or poisonous substance that makes something impure.
Implies that the substance was introduced from the outside into something that was previously clean.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'contaminare', which meant 'to bring into contact' or 'to defile by touching'. It suggests that purity is lost the moment the 'bad' touches the 'good'.
Word relationships
- pollutant: Pollutant is a broader term; contaminant often implies a specific substance that has tainted a sample.
- purifier: Something that removes impurities.
Commonly confused with
- pollutant: A pollutant causes harm to the environment; a contaminant simply makes something impure (even if not immediately harmful).
Word family
- contaminate (verb): To make impure by exposure to a poisonous or polluting substance.
- contamination (noun): The action or state of making something impure.
Collocations
- environmental contaminant
- chemical contaminant
- trace contaminant
Example sentences
- "The local reservoir was closed after a dangerous contaminant was detected in the water supply." Water safety warning.
- "Workers must wear masks to avoid inhaling airborne contaminants in the factory." Industrial safety.
Memory hook
Con-Tamin-Ant: A 'Tame' substance is made 'Ant'-like (wild/dirty) when 'Con'-tacted by a contaminant. Purity-ruiner.
When not to use
Do not use for general 'dirt' on your clothes; use it for substances that affect the safety or purity of air, water, or food.
Fun facts
- In forensic science, even a single hair from a detective can be a 'contaminant' that ruins a crime scene sample.
Related words
Also appears in
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