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Definition of purify

purify

/ˈpjʊr.ə.faɪ/
pu · ri · fy
Adverb:purely
•
Adjective:pure
•
Past Simple:purified
•
Past Participle:purified
•
Present Participle:purifying
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purify Lexical Profile

purify Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To remove contaminants, impurities, or unwanted elements from a substance.

Example

"Campers should always boil or chemically purify water collected from mountain streams before drinking it."

2

To make Ceremonially, spiritually, or morally clean; to free from sin, guilt, or defilement.

Example

"In many ancient traditions, participants bathed in sacred rivers to purify their souls before entering the temple."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for purify

• Nearby Words

purger
purification
purifier
purify
puriri
purist
puritan

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in Middle English from Old French 'purifier', which comes from Late Latin 'purificare' (to make pure), formed from Latin 'purus' (pure, clean) and 'facere' (to make or do).

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Purify. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/purify
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