(in the belief of Roman Catholics and others) a condition or place in which the souls of those dying penitent are purified from venial sins, or undergo the temporal punishment that, after the guilt of mortal sin has been remitted, still remains to be endured by the sinner.
(initial capital letter, italics) Italian Pur·ga·to·rio[poor-gah-taw-ryaw]/ˌpur gɑˈtɔ ryɔ/. the second part of Dante's Divine Comedy, in which the repentant sinners are depicted.Compare inferno(def 3), paradise(def 7).
any condition or place of temporary punishment, suffering, expiation, or the like.
1175–1225; (noun) Middle Englishpurgatorie (< Anglo-French) < Medieval Latinpūrgātōrium, noun use of neuter of Late Latinpūrgātōrius purging, equivalent to pūrgā(re) to purge + -tōrius-tory1; (adj.) Middle Englishpurgatorie < Late Latinpūrgātōrius
mainlyRC Churcha state or place in which the souls of those who have died in a state of grace are believed to undergo a limited amount of suffering to expiate their venial sins and become purified of the remaining effects of mortal sin
a place or condition of suffering or torment, esp one that is temporary
Word Origin for purgatory
C13: from Old French purgatoire, from Medieval Latin pūrgātōrium, literally: place of cleansing, from Latin pūrgāre to purge
c.1200, from Old French purgatore and directly from Medieval Latin purgatorium (St. Bernard, early 12c.), in Latin, "means of cleansing," noun use of neuter of purgatorius (adj.) "purging, cleansing," from purgat-, past participle stem of Latin purgare (see purge (v.)). Figurative use from late 14c.
In the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, the condition of souls of the dead who die with some punishment (though not damnation) due them for their sins. Purgatory is conceived as a condition of suffering and purification that leads to union with God in heaven. Purgatory is not mentioned in the Bible (see also Bible); Catholic authorities defend the teaching on purgatory by arguing that prayer for the dead is an ancient practice of Christianity and that this practice assumes that the dead can be in a state of suffering — a state that the living can improve by their prayers.
Note
A “purgatory” is, by extension, any place of suffering, usually for past misdeeds.
