pollute

/pə-ˈlüt/

Middle English, from Latin pollutus, past participle of polluere, from por- (akin to Latin per through) + -luere (akin to Latin lutum mud, Greek lyma dirt, defilement)

verb

  1. to make ceremonially or morally impure : defile

  2. debase

  3. to make physically impure or unclean : befoul, dirty

using language to deceive or mislead pollutes language

contaminate taint pollute defile mean to make impure or unclean. contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source. taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination.