noun
impurity
im-PYOOR-uh-tee/ɪmˈpjʊrəti/
Contamination by an unwanted substance.
Even a trace of impurity can affect the water's taste.
Etymology
The pieces express the quality of being not pure. In the selected sense, that quality is made concrete: an impurity is the unwanted material that makes something else impure.
In context
that impurity can be removed and then we are going to pour the pure metal into the mold cavity
More examples
- The filter removes impurities from the oil.
- An impurity in the metal weakens the finished blade.
- Tiny impurities give the crystal its green color.
Forms
impurity · impurities
impure adjective — Containing unwanted substances that reduce purity.
Similar words
- contamination
- Emphasizes the presence or introduction of harmful or unwanted material.
- pollutant
- Usually names a substance that harms air, water, or soil.