英和和英

発音

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /kənˈtæmɪneɪt/
• (General American, Canada) IPA: /kənˈtæmɪneɪt/, (/æ/ raising) [kənˈtɛəm.ɪ.neɪt]
• (General Australian) IPA: /kənˈtæmɪnæɪt/
• (New Zealand) IPA: /kənˈtɛmənæɪt/

動詞

contaminate (third-person singular simple present contaminates, present participle contaminating, simple past and past participle contaminated)

1. (transitive) To make something dangerous or toxic by introducing impurities or foreign matter.

   Synonyms: poison, pollute, taint

   This water is contaminated. It isn't safe to drink.

   • 2025 November 20, Simmone Shah, “Ukraine to Claim $44bn in Climate Damages From Russia. Why War Is So Bad For Emissions”, in TIME‎:

     Bombs and munitions meanwhile contain toxic substances that contaminate soil, water, and vegetation.

2. (transitive) To soil, stain, corrupt, or infect by contact or association.

   Synonyms: defile, pollute, sully; see also Thesaurus:dirty, Thesaurus:pervert

   • 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:

     Shall we now
     Contaminate our figures with base bribes?

   • 1766, [Oliver Goldsmith], The Vicar of Wakefield: […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), Salisbury, Wiltshire: […] B. Collins, for F[rancis] Newbery, […], →OCLC:

     I would neither have simplicity imposed upon, nor virtue contaminated.

   • 2014 April 12, Michael Inwood, “Martin Heidegger: the philosopher who fell for Hitler [print version: Hitler's philosopher]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review)‎, London, page R11:

     [Martin] Heidegger's repellent political beliefs do not contaminate his philosophical work.

3. (transitive) To make unfit for use by the introduction of unwholesome or undesirable elements.

   Synonyms: mar, mess up, ruin; see also Thesaurus:spoil

   Do not contaminate the peanut butter with the jelly.

4. (transitive) To infect, usually of a deadly virus.

   Synonyms: disease, leper

派生語

関連する語

• contaminable
• contamination
• contaminative

語源 2

First attested in the early 15 century, in 中期英語; from 中期英語 contaminat(e) (“sullied, defiled; infected with desease”, also used as the past participle of contaminaten), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more. Participial usage up until Early Modern English.

形容詞

contaminate (comparative more contaminate, superlative most contaminate) (obsolete)

1. (used as a participle) Contaminated.
   • c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 89, column 1:

     And that this body conſecrate to thee,
     By Ruffian Luſt ſhould be contaminate!

2. (figuratively) Dirty, sinful, wicked, gross, etc.

Further reading

• “contaminate”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “contaminate”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
• “contaminate”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.