impurity

C2+ Topic:Materials & Substances

US /ɪmˈpjʊrəti/ UK /ɪmˈpjʊərɪti/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a contaminating substance, or the state of being impure

Even a trace impurity can ruin the crystal's optical clarity.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a contaminating substance,... contaminant adulterant pollutant taint contamination defilement

Opposites

puritycleanness

Word family

Related forms impure pure purity

Etymology

From Latin impuritas ('uncleanness'), from impurus ('unclean'), from in- ('not') + purus ('clean, pure').

impuritas Latin purus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Materials & Substances Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# impurity

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

## Meanings
1. a contaminating substance, or the state of being impure

## Examples
- Even a trace impurity can ruin the crystal's optical clarity.

## Synonyms
- contaminant
- adulterant
- pollutant
- taint
- contamination
- defilement

## Antonyms
- purity
- cleanness

## Related Forms
- impure
- pure
- purity

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: impuritas
- Root: purus

## Etymology
From Latin impuritas ('uncleanness'), from impurus ('unclean'), from in- ('not') + purus ('clean, pure').

## AI Etymology
Impurity comes from Latin impuritas ('uncleanness'), from impurus ('unclean'), from in- ('not') + purus ('clean, pure'). The historical trail runs through Latin impuritas and Latin purus. Morphologically, the surface form is analyzable into prefixes, suffixes, compounds, or participial endings that carry part of the history. In modern use it means a contaminating substance, or the state of being impure. Related forms include impure, pure, purity.

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

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