purification
Americannoun
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the act or process of making something pure and free of any contaminating, debasing, or foreign elements.
We fund groundbreaking development projects like water purification and clean cookstove technology.
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the act of making something free of guilt or evil.
Purification of the soul brings freedom from hatred, selfishness, and greed.
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the act or process of making something clean and fit for ceremonial or ritual use.
At this early Shinto temple, the ceremonies consisted chiefly of ritual cleansings and purifications.
Other Word Forms
- nonpurification noun
- repurification noun
Etymology
Origin of purification
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin pūrificātiōn-, stem of pūrificātiō “ritual cleansing”; purify ( def. ), -ation ( def. )
Explanation
Purification is the removal of impure elements from something. After purification, water is safe to drink. Most cities have a system of water purification, so people get clean fresh drinking water without any parasites or goldfish in it. Purification is when things are cleaned and made pure. Salt water must undergo purification before it's safe to drink. Some filters do a purification of the air to reduce allergens. In some religions, purification is the removal of sin, which is another type of cleansing. For example, sumo wrestlers throw salt in the ring for purification, as part of the tradition of the Shinto religion.
Vocabulary lists containing purification
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for November 26–December 2, 2022
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Unit 5, Week 3
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"The Americans: Reconstruction to the 21st Century," Vocabulary from Chapter 16
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The study, "Noise-assisted purification of a single-photon source," was published in the journal Optica Quantum.
From Science Daily • Dec. 23, 2025
New fabs under India’s industrial policies will need modern water purification and recycling.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 9, 2025
Officials reported that about a third of the country remains without electricity or running water due to collapsed power lines and inundated water purification facilities.
From Barron's • Nov. 30, 2025
In 2023, former Olympian Michael Phelps became the brand ambassador for Chilly Goat, whose Alpine Terrain cold tub includes a water purification system and Wi-Fi and retails for $9,495.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025
He found a bottle of water purification pills, a first-aid kit, a pocketknife, matches, and lighter fluid.
From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
