adulterate

adulterate
adulterate (v.) 1530s, back formation from adulteration, or else from L. adulteratus, pp. of adulterare "to falsify, corrupt," also "to commit adultery" (see ADULTERATION (Cf. adulteration)). Earlier verb was adulter (late 14c.). Related: Adulterated; adulterating.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • adulterate — adulterate, sophisticate, load, weight, doctor mean to alter fraudulently especially for profit. Adulterate, the usual and technical term, especially when used with reference to foodstuffs and drugs, implies either the admixture of ingredients of …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • adulterate — adul·ter·ate /ə dəl tə ˌrāt/ vt at·ed, at·ing: to corrupt, debase, or make impure by the addition of a foreign or inferior substance or element; esp: to prepare for sale by omitting a valuable ingredient or by replacing more valuable ingredients… …   Law dictionary

  • Adulterate — A*dul ter*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Adulterated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Adulterating}.] [L. adulteratus, p. p. of adulterare, fr. adulter adulterer, prob. fr. ad + alter other, properly one who approaches another on account of unlawful love. Cf.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Adulterate — A*dul ter*ate, v. i. To commit adultery. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Adulterate — A*dul ter*ate, a. 1. Tainted with adultery. [1913 Webster] 2. Debased by the admixture of a foreign substance; adulterated; spurious. [1913 Webster] {A*dul ter*ate*ly}, adv. {A*dul ter*ate*ness}, n. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • adulterate — [v] alter or debase, often for profit alloy, amalgamate, attenuate, blend, cheapen, commingle, contaminate, cook, corrupt, cut*, defile, degrade, denature, depreciate, deteriorate, devalue, dilute, dissolve, doctor*, doctor up*, falsify, impair,… …   New thesaurus

  • adulterate — ► VERB ▪ make poorer in quality by adding another substance. DERIVATIVES adulterant adjective adulteration noun. ORIGIN Latin adulterare to corrupt …   English terms dictionary

  • adulterate — [ə dul′tər āt΄; ] for adj. [, ə dul′tər it] vt. adulterated, adulterating [< L adulteratus, pp. of adulterare, to falsify < adulter, an adulterer, counterfeiter < ad , to + alter, other, another] to make inferior, impure, not genuine,… …   English World dictionary

  • adulterate — UK [əˈdʌltəreɪt] / US [əˈdʌltəˌreɪt] verb [transitive] Word forms adulterate : present tense I/you/we/they adulterate he/she/it adulterates present participle adulterating past tense adulterated past participle adulterated to make a substance… …   English dictionary

  • adulterate — adulterator, n. v. /euh dul teuh rayt /; adj. /euh dul teuhr it, teuh rayt /, v., adulterated, adulterating, adj. v.t. 1. to debase or make impure by adding inferior materials or elements; use cheaper, inferior, or less desirable goods in the… …   Universalium

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