vitiate

views updated May 29 2018

vi·ti·ate / ˈvishēˌāt/ • v. [tr.] formal spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of: development programs have been vitiated by the rise in population. ∎  destroy or impair the legal validity of.DERIVATIVES: vi·ti·a·tion / ˌvishēˈāshən/ n.vi·ti·a·tor / -ˌātər/ n.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

vitiate

views updated May 18 2018

vitiate render faulty or corrupt XVI; render of no effect XVII. f. pp. stem of L. vitiāre (after †vitiate pp. XV), f. vitium VICE1; see -ATE2,3.
So vitiation XVII. — L.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

Vitiate

views updated May 17 2018

VITIATE

To impair or make void; to destroy or annul, either completely or partially, the force and effect of an act or instrument.

Mutual mistake or fraud, for example, might vitiate a contract.

West's Encyclopedia of American Law

More From encyclopedia.com

About this article

vitiate

All Sources -
Updated Aug 08 2016 About encyclopedia.com content Print Topic

You Might Also Like