impurity

UK: /ɪmˈpjʊərɪti/ US: /ɪmˈpjʊrɪti/ ,(im pyŏŏr′i tē)

Inflections of 'impurity' (n): npl: impurities

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

im•pu•ri•ty /ɪmˈpyʊrɪti/   n. 

1. [countable] a substance mixed with some other substance, making the other substance no longer pure:
   Remove the impurities from the gasoline before it is ignited.
2. the quality or state of being impure:
   [uncountable] the sin of impurity.
See -pur-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

im•pu•ri•ty  (im pyŏŏr′i tē), n., pl. -ties for 2.

1. the quality or state of being impure.
2. Often, impurities. something that is or makes impure:
   After the flood the authorities warned against impurities in the drinking water.

• Latin impūritās. See impure, -ity
• late Middle English impurite 1400–50

Synonyms

• 1. contamination, pollution, taint.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

impurity / ɪmˈpjʊərɪtɪ/ noun ( -ties)

1. the quality of being impure
2. an impure thing, constituent, or element: impurities in the water
3. a small quantity of an element added to a pure semiconductor crystal to control its electrical conductivity
   See also acceptor2