pollute

/pəˈluːt/

//pəˈluːt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"pollute" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“pollute” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #34,640 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#34,640
frequency rank, English
7
letters
8
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make something harmful, especially by the addition of some unwanted product.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

pollute vs polluted
88% similar
pollute vs polite
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for pollute
PropertyValue
Headwordpollute
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/pəˈluːt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#34,640
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “pollute” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). pollute lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for pollute is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /pəˈluːt/. Corpus data places it at rank #34,640 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for pollute, with forms such as "opllute", "plolute", and "polltue". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "polluted", "polite", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English polluten, borrowed from Latin pollūtum, from pollūtus (“no longer virgin", "unchaste”), perfect passive participle of polluō (“soil", "defile", "dishonor”). The correct English form is pollute, spelled P-O-L-L-U-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make something harmful, especially by the addition of some unwanted product.
  2. 2
    To make something or somewhere less suitable for some activity, especially by the introduction of some unnatural factor.
  3. 3
    To corrupt or profane
  4. 4
    To violate sexually; to debauch; to dishonour.

Etymology

From Middle English polluten, borrowed from Latin pollūtum, from pollūtus (“no longer virgin", "unchaste”), perfect passive participle of polluō (“soil", "defile", "dishonor”).

This word in other languages

contaminar(Español)polluer(Français)verschmutzen(Deutsch)contaminar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: opllute,plolute,polltue,polluet,pollutte,polulte,polute,ppollute

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of pollute - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

opllute2plolute2polltue2polluet2pollutte1polulte2polute1ppollute1
Edit distance from "pollute"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "pollute"?
"pollute" is spelled P-O-L-L-U-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /pəˈluːt/.
What does "pollute" mean?
As a verb, "pollute" means: To make something harmful, especially by the addition of some unwanted product.
What words are commonly confused with "pollute"?
"pollute" is commonly confused with "polluted", "polite". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "pollute"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pollute" is /pəˈluːt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "pollute"?
From Middle English polluten, borrowed from Latin pollūtum, from pollūtus (“no longer virgin", "unchaste”), perfect passive participle of polluō (“soil", "defile", "dishonor”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “pollute”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is P-O-L-L-U-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /pəˈluːt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “polluted” - see the side-by-side comparison. pollute vs polluted
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list