A substance added to something to make it impure or to change its quality, usually in a way that's harmful or deceptive.
From adulterare (to corrupt or make impure), with the agent suffix -ant, indicating something that adulterates. The term evolved from Latin to describe substances that compromise purity.
Food safety scandals often reveal adulterants—like when melamine was found in baby formula in China—and the word reminds us that 'adulteration' literally means making something impure through deceptive mixing.
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