adulterate
to corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding something inferior
Roots
Other words with the alter root
- adulteration: act of making something impure by adding inferior material
- alter: to change or make different
- alteration: a change or modification
- alternate: to switch back and forth; every other one
- alternative: another possible choice
- altruism: selfless concern for the welfare of others
- altruistic: showing selfless concern for others
Adulterate is purity made other. Here alter shows up as ulter because words change shape as they travel; the memory is that something inferior gets mixed in and the original is no longer clean.
The supplier adulterated the olive oil with cheaper oil and sold it as pure.
Alter means other or change, and in adulterate it shows up as ulter because words change shape as they travel. The memory is concrete: something pure is made other by mixing in an unwanted, inferior thing.