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

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

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

Also involved in the deal is ReElement Technologies, a company that works to purify and recycle rare-earth materials, which will help in the recycling of old magnets to boost domestic production.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 3, 2025

The team at Verley, a French startup, will then purify the protein, including extracting the lactose.

From BBC • Oct. 6, 2025

The pool’s mechanical room looks like the boiler room of an ocean liner — with giant tanks that purify pool water and another system that stabilizes the temperature.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2025

Later, they passed colorful handkerchiefs over Felicia’s body, all the while grieving in low voices to purify her corpse.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García

Related Words

• rarefy