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impurity
noun
im·pu·ri·ty
(ˌ)im-ˈpyu̇r-ə-tē
plural impurities
1
: something that is impure or makes something else impure
removing impurities from water
2
: the quality or state of being impure
Synonyms
Examples of impurity in a Sentence
the impurity of the water
The syrup is strained to remove impurities.
The water is free of impurities.
Recent Examples on the Web
Before eating, wash the watermelon thoroughly to remove any pesticides or impurities from the skin.
—Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 19 Apr. 2024
Safety and Purity: Products must be free from harmful contaminants, including heavy metals, pesticides, solvents, and microbiological impurities.
—Lara Stewart, Discover Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
The SkinCeuticals Glycolic Renewal Gel Cleanser is enriched with glycolic acid to gently and effectively resurface skin texture while also removing dirt, debris, and other impurities from the complexion.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 25 Mar. 2024
Another sample had lower levels of the active ingredient than described on the label, along with impurities, according to a separate lawsuit.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 9 Feb. 2024
In a real material, this disorder might come from impurities such as missing atoms or atoms of different elements.
—Charlie Wood, Quanta Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024
And wearing jade pendants could be useful as they are thought to remove impurities from the body.
—Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 9 Feb. 2024
Understanding if and how that impurity affects the supply may require different trials.
—Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2024
During that time, most of the minerals are separated out, so the ice has extremely low levels of hardness and few, if any, impurities.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 1 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'impurity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of impurity was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near impurity
Cite this Entry
“Impurity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impurity. Accessed 23 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
impurity
noun
im·pu·ri·ty
(ˈ)im-ˈpyu̇r-ət-ē
plural impurities
1
: the quality or state of being impure
2
: something that is impure or that makes impure
remove impurities from water
Medical Definition
impurity
noun
im·pu·ri·ty
(ˈ)im-ˈpyu̇r-ət-ē
plural impurities
: something that is impure or makes something else impure
More from Merriam-Webster on impurity
Nglish: Translation of impurity for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of impurity for Arabic Speakers
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