purify

American  

[pyoor-uh-fahy] / ˈpyʊər əˌfaɪ /

verb (used with object)

purified, purifying

1. to make pure; free from anything that debases, pollutes, adulterates, or contaminates.

   to purify metals.

2. to free from foreign, extraneous, or objectionable elements.

   to purify a language.

3. to free from guilt or evil.

4. to clear or purge (usually followed by of orfrom ).

5. to make clean for ceremonial or ritual use.

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verb (used without object)

purified, purifying

1. to become pure.

purify British  

/ ˈpjʊərɪˌfaɪ, ˈpjʊərɪfɪˌkeɪtərɪ /

verb

1. to free (something) of extraneous, contaminating, or debasing matter

2. (tr) to free (a person, etc) from sin or guilt

3. (tr) to make clean, as in a ritual, esp the churching of women after childbirth

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Other Word Forms

• nonpurifying adjective
• purification noun
• purificatory adjective
• purifier noun
• repurify verb
• self-purifying adjective
• unpurified adjective
• unpurifying adjective

Etymology

Origin of purify

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English purifien, from Middle French purifier, from Latin pūrificāre; pure, -ify

Example Sentences

It’s a sprawling tale of divine corruption and human treachery that ends with the world being purified by fire and flood.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ice masters look at the PH levels of the water and purify it to remove minerals and impurities.

From BBC

The punishments were made after a "systematic review" and were needed "to enforce industry discipline, purify the football environment, and maintain fair competition", the CFA wrote on its official social media account Thursday.

From Barron's

Some bottlers sell tap water purified through reverse‑osmosis filtration which removes the minerals and flavour, he said.

From Barron's

"For the rivers within us flow with ease, fears washed away, cleanse and purify. Come to peace with our tears and discover what it means to be alive," she says.

From BBC

Related Words

• rarefy