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; see pure, -ify

Explanation

To purify something is to remove dirt, chemicals, or anything else that it's contaminated with. You might decide to purify your tap water if it tastes like chlorine. While scientists purify various chemicals during experiments, the substance that people most often purify is water. Water needs to be treated before it's safe to drink, and cities purify the water they send out to people's houses. You can also use the verb purify in a figurative way, to mean "make ritually or religiously clean or pure." This is the word's earliest meaning, from the Latin root purificare, "to make pure."

Example Sentences

Studies after that conflict concluded the damage hampered efforts to purify water and contributed to infant mortality.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

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 • Jan. 29, 2026

Beyond their unique biological properties, nanobodies are simpler to produce and purify than traditional antibodies.

From Science Daily • Nov. 6, 2025

Board of Water and Power Commissioners voted to purify 45 million gallons, enough water for 500,000 people.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 31, 2025

The committee issued a public warning, telling recent arrivals to clean their homes thoroughly, burn gunpowder to purify the air, dump lime down their privies, and whitewash every room.

From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy

Related Words

• rarefy