ADULTERANT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does adulterant mean? 

• ADULTERANT (noun)
  The noun ADULTERANT has 1 sense:

1. any substance that lessens the purity or effectiveness of a substance

  Familiarity information: ADULTERANT used as a noun is very rare.

• ADULTERANT (adjective)
  The adjective ADULTERANT has 1 sense:

1. making impure or corrupt by adding extraneous materials

  Familiarity information: ADULTERANT used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ADULTERANT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any substance that lessens the purity or effectiveness of a substance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

adulterant; adulterator

Context example:

it is necessary to remove the adulterants before use

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)

• ADULTERANT (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Making impure or corrupt by adding extraneous materials

Synonyms:

adulterant; adulterating

Context example:

the adulterating effect of extraneous materials

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)

 Context examples 

An adulterant may cause a product to be harmful, cheaper to make, or not work as it should.

(Adulterant, NCI Dictionary)

Adulterants may be in foods, drugs, and other products.

(Adulterant, NCI Dictionary)