Library / English Dictionary

ADULTERANT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any substance that lessens the purity or effectiveness of a substance

Example:

it is necessary to remove the adulterants before use

Synonyms:

adulterant; adulterator

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("adulterant" is a kind of...):

substance (a particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties)

Derivation:

adulterant (making impure or corrupt by adding extraneous materials)

adulterate (corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones)

 II. (adjective) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Making impure or corrupt by adding extraneous materials

Example:

the adulterating effect of extraneous materials

Synonyms:

adulterant; adulterating

Classified under:

Adjectives

Similar:

extraneous; foreign (not belonging to that in which it is contained; introduced from an outside source)

Derivation:

adulterant (any substance that lessens the purity or effectiveness of a substance)

adulterate (corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones)

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