defilement

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /dɪˈfaɪlmənt/ UK /dɪˈfaɪlmənt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the act of making something dirty, corrupt, or unholy

The vandals' defilement of the shrine outraged the village.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the act of making something... desecration pollution contamination corruption profanationbefoulmenttaint

Opposites

purificationsanctificationcleansing consecration

Word family

Related forms defile defileddefiler

Etymology

From defile ('to make impure'), from Old French defouler ('to trample down'), plus the noun-forming suffix -ment.

defouler Old French fullare Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

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# defilement

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /dɪˈfaɪlmənt/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˈfaɪlmənt/

## Meanings
1. the act of making something dirty, corrupt, or unholy

## Examples
- The vandals' defilement of the shrine outraged the village.

## Synonyms
- desecration
- pollution
- contamination
- corruption
- profanation
- befoulment
- taint

## Antonyms
- purification
- sanctification
- cleansing
- consecration

## Related Forms
- defile
- defiled
- defiler

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: defouler
- Root: fullare

## Etymology
From defile ('to make impure'), from Old French defouler ('to trample down'), plus the noun-forming suffix -ment.

## AI Etymology
Defilement is from defile ('to make impure'), from Old French defouler ('to trample down'), plus the noun-forming suffix -ment. In present-day use, it means the act of making something dirty, corrupt, or unholy. Related vocabulary includes defile, defiled, and defiler.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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defilement

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