purification

American  

[pyoor-uh-fi-key-shuhn] / pyʊər ə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. 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.

2. the act of making something free of guilt or evil.

   Purification of the soul brings freedom from hatred, selfishness, and greed.

3. 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.

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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.

Example Sentences

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

She played a significant role in the identification and purification of the active form of GLP-1 in the mid-1980s.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025

The team also demonstrated that the sodium fluoride generated through this method can be used immediately, without additional purification, to synthesize other valuable fluorine-containing compounds used in pharmaceuticals, diagnostic tools, and specialty chemicals.

From Science Daily • Nov. 27, 2025

With its purification rituals and its imperial roots, sumo is sacrosanct in a way that American sports will never be.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

Related Words

• distillation