expurgate

[ ek-sper-geyt ]

verb (used with object)

, ex·pur·gat·ed, ex·pur·gat·ing.

1. to amend by removing words, passages, etc., deemed offensive or objectionable:

   Most children read an expurgated version of Grimms' fairy tales.

   Synonyms: bowdlerize, purge, censor, excise, delete

2. to purge or cleanse of moral offensiveness.

expurgate

/ -trɪ; ɛksˈpɜːɡətərɪ; ˈɛkspəˌɡeɪt; ɛkˌspɜːɡəˈtɔːrɪəl /

verb

1. tr to amend (a book, text, etc) by removing (obscene or offensive sections)

expurgate

1. To clean up, remove impurities. An expurgated edition of a book has had offensive words or descriptions changed or removed.

Derived Forms

• ˈexpurˌgator, noun
• expurgatory, adjective
• ˌexpurˈgation, noun

Other Words From

• expur·gation noun
• expur·gator noun
• un·expur·gated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of expurgate¹

1615–25; < Latin expurgātus, past participle of expurgāre to clean out. See ex- ¹, purge, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of expurgate¹

C17: from Latin expurgāre to clean out, from purgāre to purify; see purge

Example Sentences

The resolutions of the loyalists were curiosities, and the secretary did not always expurgate bad spelling, etc.

From Project Gutenberg

Why must Northern publishers expurgate and emasculate the literature of the world before it is permitted to reach them?

From Project Gutenberg

The dreamer sees a worshipper—his wife—enter, to palliate or expurgate her soul of some ugly stain.

From Project Gutenberg

His speech was two or three words longer, but they are inappropriate at the end of a chapter, and I expurgate.

From Project Gutenberg

They would expurgate it from their vocabulary if they could.

From Project Gutenberg