purgatory
purgatory Lexical Profile
purgatory Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Any place, condition, or prolonged period of temporary suffering, torment, or agonizing uncertainty.
"The startup spent months in regulatory purgatory while waiting for the government agency to approve its patent application."
In Roman Catholic doctrine, an intermediate state or place after physical death in which the souls of those who die in a state of grace undergo temporary purification from venial sins before entering heaven.
"In Dante's Divine Comedy, the poet envisions purgatory as a seven-terraced mountain where repentant souls are cleansed of their worldly failings."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'purgatory' with 'limbo': in Catholic theology, purgatory is a temporary state of purifying suffering for souls destined for heaven, whereas limbo (now largely a historical concept) was an edge-state for unbaptized souls who did not experience punishment. In secular usage, 'purgatory' emphasizes agonizing waiting or torment, while 'limbo' emphasizes uncertain suspension or neglect.
• Rhymes for purgatory
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in Middle English via Anglo-Norman and Old French from Medieval Latin 'purgatorium', a noun use of the Late Latin adjective 'purgatorius' ('cleansing' or 'purifying'), ultimately derived from the Latin verb 'purgare' ('to cleanse or purify').