adulterant, a. and n.
(əˈdʌltərənt)
[ad. L. adulterant-em pr. pple. of adulterā-re: see adulter v. Prop. an adj., but usually subst.]
A. n. That which adulterates, or is employed to adulterate anything. (J. says ‘The person or thing which adulterates’; but it does not seem ever to have been used in Eng. of a person.)
| 1755 Johnson n.q. 1861 Jrnl. Soc. Arts IX. 488/2 Mr. John Horsley of Cheltenham has also found copper as an adulterant in the bread and flour of that place. 1881 A. Griffiths Sc. Gossip No. 203. 248 By a careful microscopical examination these adulterants can be easily found out. |
B. adj. Adulterating.
| 1881 Philad. Rec. No. 3470. 2 Adulterant agents and processes rest on no better principle than short measures and false weights. |