adulteration
uh-DUL-tuh-RAY-shun
/əˌdʌltəˈreɪʃən/
The action of making something poorer in quality by the addition of another substance.
Almost always implies a deliberate, fraudulent act for financial gain.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'adulterare', meaning to corrupt or falsify. It shares the same linguistic root as 'adultery', both implying a breach of trust and the introduction of something 'other' into a pure relationship or substance.
Word relationships
- debasement: A general term for lowering quality or value, often used for currency.
- falsification: Focuses on the dishonest nature of the act.
- authentication: The process of proving something is genuine and pure.
Commonly confused with
- contamination: Contamination is usually an accident; adulteration is a crime of greed.
Word family
- adulterate (verb): To render something poorer in quality by adding another substance.
- adulterant (noun): A substance used to adulterate something.
Collocations
- food adulteration
- deliberate adulteration
- adulteration of products
- detect adulteration
Example sentences
- "The adulteration of milk with water was a common practice in Victorian London." Historical food law
- "The government has introduced strict penalties for the adulteration of olive oil with cheaper vegetable oils." Modern trade report
Memory hook
Adulteration is for 'adults' who are 'altering' the truth for money. Cheating the recipe.
When not to use
Do not use for accidental mixing; use 'contamination' instead.
Fun facts
- In the 1800s, bakers sometimes used chalk or alum as an adulterant to make bread look whiter.
Related words
Explore more words
fraud, forgery, falsification, counterfeit, contaminate, defraud
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