ENGLISH
REFERENCE

adulterate

v.
US //əˈdəɫtɝˌeɪt// adul·ter·ate Archaic Literary
Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Latin adulterātus (“adulterate, adulterated, defiled, polluted, counterfeited”), perfect passive participle of adulterō (“to adulterate, defile, commit adultery (with), counterfeit”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from ad- (“to, in the direction of”) + alter (“other”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix), literally “to go after someone else”. Equivalent to adultery + -ate.

Etymology 2

From Latin adulterātus, see Etymology 1 and -ate (verb-forming suffix).

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