Spanish word

contaminación

Pronunciation

IPA/kontaminaˈθjon/

Meaning

  • feminine nounpollution

Example

¿Te preocupa la contaminación del aire?

Are you worried about air pollution?

Illustration for contaminación (pollution)

More examples

La contaminación del agua afecta la salud pública.

Water pollution affects public health.

Core concept

Presence of pollutants that reduce the quality of air, water, or urban spaces.

Common phrases

  • contaminación del aire

    air pollution

  • contaminación del agua

    water pollution

  • contaminación ambiental

    environmental pollution

Similar words

polución: Presence of harmful substances in air or water creating a polluted, unhealthy environment.
contaminante: Substance or agent that enters the environment and causes damage or pollution.
desecho: Material produced by industry or daily life that is discarded and requires disposal.
suciedad: Dirt, grime, or litter on surfaces or in places that makes them unclean.

Definition in Spanish

Efecto de introducir sustancias, residuos o emisiones que reducen la calidad del entorno natural o urbano.

Word origin

It derives from medieval Latin contaminatio, based on contaminare which means 'to defile' or make impure.

Usage tips

  • Common collocations are contaminación del aire, contaminación del agua and contaminación acústica, and verbs such as reducir, aumentar or combatir describe changes in contamination.

Other meanings

  • contaminationnoun

Opposites

  • descontaminacióndecontaminationnoun
  • purificaciónpurificationnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word