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. )

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

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

In 2023, former Olympian Michael Phelps became the brand ambassador for Chilly Goat, whose Alpine Terrain cold tub includes a water purification system and Wi-Fi and retails for $9,495.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

He saw the water purification plant and storehouses for food and fertilizer.

From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer

Related Words

• distillation