What is the Latin word for pollution?

The usual Latin words for “pollution” are contāminātiō, pollūtiō, macula; also lābēs, inviolātus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“pollution” in Latin

contāminātiōcontamination, pollution; defilement pollūtiōpollution, contamination, defilement maculaa spot, speck, small mark or stain; a blemish, temporary or permanent (for example, a bruise, freckle, mole, birthmark, lābēsfall, collapse; subsidence; fault, defect inviolātusunhurt, uninjured; inviolable

The English word pollution itself goes back to Latin polluō, through pollūtiō.

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

pollution

circumlocution by the verb, etc., contaminatio, pollutio (☞ both late): macula, labes (the thing itself): Free from pollution, inviolatus (opposed to pollutus).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for pollution?: The usual Latin words for “pollution” are contāminātiō, pollūtiō, macula; also lābēs, inviolātus. 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.