adjective
impure
im-PYOOR/ɪmˈpjʊr/
Tainted by an unwanted substance.
The cloudy water is impure, with unwanted particles suspended throughout it.
Etymology
The pieces mean “not clean or unmixed.” Early English use described muddy wine, a concrete example of lost clarity; the word also covers moral uncleanness and contamination by unwanted matter.
In context
so-called Pure Element dedumium was impure and contained in fact two other elements
More examples
- The jeweler rejects the impure gold because it contains lead.
- Impure chemicals can interfere with the results of an experiment.
- The filter removes particles from the impure oil.
Forms
impure · impurer · impurest
impurity noun — An unwanted substance mixed into something.
Similar words
- contaminated
- Emphasizes the presence of unwanted, often harmful, foreign material.
- adulterated
- Suggests deliberate addition of cheaper or inferior substances.
- tainted
- Often suggests a small addition that spoils overall quality.