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Definition of adulteration

adulteration

/əˌdʌl.təˈreɪ.ʃən/
a · dul · ter · a · tion
Plural:adulterations
•
Adjective:adulterative
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adulteration Lexical Profile

adulteration Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The action of making a substance poorer in quality by adding another, typically inferior or harmful, ingredient.

Example

"Consumer protection laws strictly prohibit the adulteration of olive oil with cheaper seed oils."

2

Something that has been made impure or inferior through the addition of a foreign or lower-quality substance.

Example

"The chemist analyzed the sample and identified several illegal adulterations in the herbal supplement."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for adulteration
Antonyms
View all antonyms for adulteration

• Rhymes for adulteration

• Nearby Words

adulation
adult
adulterant
adulteration
adulterer
adulteress
adulterous

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the late 15th century from Latin adulteratio, from the verb adulterare ('to corrupt, falsify, or commit adultery').

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Adulteration. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/adulteration
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