impurity
/ɪmˈpjʊərəti/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪmˈpjʊrəti/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˌ)im-ˈpyu̇r-ə-tē/ (ame, mw)
impurity — noun
- impuritysingular
- impuritiesplural
1. an unwanted material inside a substance, such as a tiny amount of a different su
an unwanted material inside a substance, such as a tiny amount of a different substance that reduces quality or makes it unsafe; also the fact of containing such material
Gabriel tested the river water and found impurities from a nearby factory.
verb 'found' + impurities from [source]
The factory's filters remove most impurities before the water is released.
This gold ring is 99.9 percent pure, with only tiny impurities of copper inside.
Sayaka checked the drinking water for harmful impurities using a simple test kit.
It is important to remove impurities from the fuel before using it in the car.
- contaminant
more specific — implies the material is harmful or makes something unfit for use
- pollutant
narrower — specifically for substances that damage the natural environment
- adulterant
technical — a substance deliberately added to lower quality, often in food or fuel
- purity
the state of being free from unwanted materials
文法句型
impurity (countable, a specific unwanted substance)
impurity (uncountable, the state of being impure)
用法筆記
Subject is usually a substance (water, metal, fuel, air) or the material being purified. The countable form ('an impurity', 'impurities') refers to specific unwanted particles or substances, while the uncountable form ('impurity') denotes the state or condition.
常見錯誤
2. thoughts about sex or sexual acts viewed as sinful or morally unacceptable in a
thoughts about sex or sexual acts viewed as sinful or morally unacceptable in a religious context
The old monk prayed daily to keep his thoughts free from impurity.
keep [possessive] thoughts free from + impurity
Benjamin's grandmother taught him that impurity of the heart was worse than breaking any rule.
The ancient ceremony was meant to cleanse the community of moral impurity.
Wei read about ancient rituals that washed away spiritual impurity after wrongdoing.
- sin
broader — covers all wrongdoing, not exclusively sexual thoughts or acts
- uncleanness
archaic or biblical register, more intense religious connotation
- immorality
broader — refers to any behaviour against moral principles, not only sexual
文法句型
impurity (uncountable, moral or religious context)
用法筆記
Frequently appears in religious, moral, or spiritual contexts. This sense is almost always uncountable — the plural form 'impurities' in moral contexts is rare and typically indicates a shift back to the physical sense.