purify

English

Etymology

From Middle English purifien, purifyen, from Old French purifier, purifiier, from Latin pūrificō, pūrificāre, from pūrus (pure; clean).

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈpjʊəɹɪfaɪ/, /ˈpjɔːɹɪfaɪ/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈpjʊɹɪfaɪ/, /ˈpjɝɪfaɪ/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)

Verb

purify (third-person singular simple present purifies, present participle purifying, simple past and past participle purified)

  1. (transitive) To cleanse, or rid of impurities.
    • 2020 May 4, “Young Practitioners Should Carefully Read “How the Specter of Communism Is Ruling Our World””, in Minghui[1]:
      The modern arts deviate from the standards set forth by the divine—art should be used to purify one’s heart and improve one’s morality.
  2. (transitive) To free from guilt or sin.
  3. (intransitive) To become pure.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *pewH- (0 c, 39 e)

Translations