adulterine

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   historical: illegal, unauthorized, or spurious

   The crown tolerated the adulterine guild only after it paid an annual fine.

2. 2
   adj

   adulterated or made impure by the addition of inferior material

   Inspectors seized the adulterine medicine before it reached the market.

3. 3
   adj

   born from or relating to an adulterous union

   The old statute imposed disabilities on an adulterine child.

Borrowed through Middle French adulterin from Latin adulterinus, 'born of adultery; spurious,' from adulter, 'adulterer.' Its older legal use extended the idea of illegitimate origin to unauthorized castles, guilds, coins, and other institutions or objects.

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