adulterant

C2+ Topic:Materials & Substances

US /əˈdʌltərənt/ UK /əˈdʌltərənt/ See IPA manual

noun adj

Meanings

1

noun
a substance added to dilute or debase something, especially a foodstuff

Chalk was a common adulterant in cheap flour.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a substance added to dilute... additive contaminant impuritydiluent

Word family

Related forms adulterate adulteration adulter

Etymology

From Latin adulterantem (accusative of adulterans), present participle of adulterare ('to corrupt, falsify'), from ad- ('to') + alter ('other').

adulterare Latin alter Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Materials & Substances Word Formation & Derivatives

# adulterant

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun, adj
**IPA (US):** əˈdʌltərənt
**IPA (UK):** əˈdʌltərənt

## Meanings
1. a substance added to dilute or debase something, especially a foodstuff

## Examples
- Chalk was a common adulterant in cheap flour.

## Synonyms
- additive
- contaminant
- impurity
- diluent

## Related Forms
- adulterate
- adulteration
- adulter

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: adulterare
- Root: alter

## Etymology
From Latin adulterantem (accusative of adulterans), present participle of adulterare ('to corrupt, falsify'), from ad- ('to') + alter ('other').

## AI Etymology
Adulterant is a noun and adjective meaning "a substance added to dilute or debase something, especially a foodstuff". Historically, it is from Latin adulterantem (accusative of adulterans), present participle of adulterare ('to corrupt, falsify'), from ad- ('to') + alter ('other'). The visible construction is part of the etymology: adulterant is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The historical chain links Latin adulterare with Latin alter. Close English family members include adulterate, adulteration, and adulter.

## Topics
- Materials & Substances
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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