Szennyezett

Szennyezett is a Hungarian adjective meaning polluted or contaminated. It describes something that has been made impure by the introduction of unwanted substances or energy. The word is the past participle of the verb szennyezni, which means to pollute or contaminate.

It is used across contexts such as environment, health, and food safety. Common collocations include szennyezett víz (contaminated water), szennyezett levegő (polluted air), szennyezett talaj (contaminated soil), and szennyezett élelmiszer (contaminated food). In everyday language it primarily denotes physical pollution, but it can also appear in discussions of data integrity or reputational concerns, though the nuance is somewhat metaphorical in those cases.

Etymology: the term derives from the verb szennyezni; related forms include szennyezés (pollution), szennyező (pollutant), and szennyeződés (contamination).

In official and scientific contexts, szennyezett is used to describe a state that often leads to regulatory or remediation actions. Its precise meaning depends on measured contaminants and applicable limits; more specific terms are used in risk assessment and compliance reports. For example, a water sample may be described as szennyezett if contaminant concentrations exceed allowed thresholds, or air quality may be labeled szennyezett due to emissions.