What is the Latin word for befoul?

The usual Latin words for “befoul” are cēnō, sordēs, maculō; also commaculō, spurcō, cōnspurcō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“befoul” in Latin

cēnōto dine, eat dinner, sup; to be served; to pass the night in feasts sordēsdirt, filth, squalor; meanness, stinginess, niggardliness; humiliation maculōto stain, make spotted; to defile, pollute; to dishonor commaculōto stain, spot; to pollute, defile, soil spurcōto soil, infect; to deprave cōnspurcōto befoul, pollute

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

befoul

inquinare aliquid (aliqua re): to befoul one’s self with anything, se inquinare aliqua re, e.g., with dirt, coeno or sordibus; maculare; commaculare; maculis aspergere; spurcare; conspurcare.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for befoul?: The usual Latin words for “befoul” are cēnō, sordēs, maculō; also commaculō, spurcō, cōnspurcō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.