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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Adulterate \A*dul"ter*ate\, verb (used with an object) [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. {Advoutry}.]
1. To defile by adultery. [Obs.] --Milton.
2. To corrupt, debase, or make impure by an admixture of a foreign or a baser substance; as, to adulterate food, drink, drugs, coin, etc.
The present war has . . . adulterated our tongue with strange words. --Spectator.
Syn: To corrupt; defile; debase; contaminate; vitiate; sophisticate.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
adulterating \adulterating\ adjective
1. making impure or corrupt by virtue of extraneous origin; -- of impurities. the adulterating effect of extraneous materials {purifying}
Syn: adulterant [WordNet 1.5]
2. making impure or corrupt by adding extraneous materials; -- of people.
Syn: adulterant. [PJC]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
adulterating
adjective: making impure or corrupt by adding extraneous materials; "the adulterating effect of extraneous materials" [syn: {adulterant}] [ant: {purifying}]
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