inquinare

to pollute, to contaminate

verb een-kwee-NAH-reh Rare

Usage Note

Inquinare is used for environmental pollution (inquinare l'aria/l'acqua, to pollute the air/water) and also metaphorically for corrupting evidence: inquinare le prove (to tamper with evidence), a legal phrase common in Italian news. L'inquinamento is the noun for pollution; inquinato is the adjective (polluted). Uses avere as auxiliary.

Examples

"Le fabbriche inquinano il fiume."

Natural Translation

The factories pollute the river.

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