Vitiated

Vitiated is an adjective, the past participle of the verb vitiate. It describes something that has been spoiled, corrupted, or made invalid or less effective by a defect, taint, or contamination. The term can apply to physical substances as well as to abstract notions such as reasoning or consent.

Etymology: Vitiate derives from Latin vitium, meaning fault or defect. The sense of rendering something defective or impure has been carried into English since the early modern period.

General usage: In everyday language, vitiated may refer to things whose quality or integrity has been compromised. A vitiated atmosphere implies contamination or unhealthy conditions; vitiated wine or air suggests compromised quality. Abstractly, a vitiated argument or judgment is one undermined by flawed reasoning, prejudices, or incomplete information. In scientific or investigative contexts, methods or results can be described as vitiated if biases, procedural faults, or contamination taint the findings.

Legal usage: In contract law, consent can be vitiated by factors such as misrepresentation, duress, or mistake, rendering the agreement voidable or invalid. Such factors are sometimes described as vitiating circumstances or vitiating factors, because they impair the fairness or validity of the contract.

See also: vitiate, taint, contamination, corruption, defect.