# contaminate

> English word · Verb · IPA /kənˈtæmɪneɪt/ · frequency rank #35,662

## Definitions
1. To make something dangerous or toxic by introducing impurities or foreign matter.
2. To soil, stain, corrupt, or infect by contact or association.
3. To make unfit for use by the introduction of unwholesome or undesirable elements.
4. To infect, usually of a deadly virus.

## Etymology
First attested in the early 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English; from Middle English contaminaten (“to defile; to infect with desease”), from contaminat(e) (“sullied, defiled; infected with desease”, also used as the past participle of contaminaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), from Latin contāminātus, the perfect passive participle of contāminō (“to touch together, blend, mingle, corrupt, defile”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), which see for further informations. More at taste, tax, and taxi.

## Easily confused with
- **contaminated** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/contaminate-vs-contaminated)
- **contaminant** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/contaminant-vs-contaminate)

## Common misspellings (16)
`ccontaminate`, `cnotaminate`, `conatminate`, `conntaminate`, `contaimnate`, `contamiante`, `contaminaet`, `contaminatte`, `contaminnate`, `contamintae`, `contamminate`, `contamniate`, `contmainate`, `conttaminate`, `cotnaminate`, `ocntaminate`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/contaminate