con ‧ tam ‧ i ‧ nate /kənˈtæməneɪt, kənˈtæmɪneɪt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: past participle of contaminare , from contamen 'contact' ]
1 . to make a place or substance dirty or harmful by putting something such as chemicals or poison in it:
Drinking water supplies are believed to have been contaminated.
2 . to influence something in a way that has a bad effect:
He claims the poster ads have ‘contaminated Berlin’s streets’.
—contamination /kənˌtæməˈneɪʃ ə n, kənˌtæmɪˈneɪʃ ə n/ noun [uncountable] :
radioactive contamination