Defile: Corrupting the Pure
Explore the meaning and usage of the word ‘defile’, which refers to the act of making something dirty or impure, often in a way that desecrates or violates its sanctity. Learn about its origins, synonyms, antonyms, and common errors in usage to enhance your vocabulary for the GRE.
Imagine a pristine white cloth suddenly stained with mud. This act of sullying something pure is at the heart of our word for today: defile.
Word type: Defile is primarily used as a verb in English.
Meaning: To defile means to make something dirty or impure, often in a way that desecrates or violates its sanctity.
It can refer to physical contamination or moral corruption.
Word history: The word defile comes from the Old French word defouler, which meant to trample down.
This, in turn, originated from the Latin de-, meaning thoroughly, and fullare, to full or clean cloth by trampling on it.
Ironically, a word that once related to cleaning has come to mean the opposite.
Antonyms: Some antonyms of defile include purify, sanctify, cleanse, and honor.
Synonyms: Synonyms for defile include contaminate, pollute, taint, corrupt, and desecrate.
Examples use in sentences:
The vandals defiled the ancient temple with graffiti. His reputation was defiled by false accusations.
Environmental activists protested against industries that defile our natural resources. Common errors in use:
A common error is confusing defile with define. While they sound similar, define means to give the meaning of something, whereas defile means to corrupt or make impure.
Another mistake is using defile only in religious contexts. While it often has religious connotations, it can be used in various situations involving contamination or corruption.
To master this word for the GRE, remember its core meaning of making something impure or dirty. Whether it’s a physical act like polluting a river, or a metaphorical one like tarnishing someone’s reputation, defile always involves degrading something from a better state to a worse one.
By understanding its versatile applications, you’ll be well-equipped to use and recognize this word in various contexts, boosting your verbal score on the GRE.
