purgatory

[ pur-guh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee ]

noun

, plural pur·ga·to·ries.

1. (in the belief of Roman Catholics and others) a condition or place in which the souls of those dying penitent are purified from venial sins, or undergo the temporal punishment that, after the guilt of mortal sin has been remitted, still remains to be endured by the sinner.
2. (initial capital letter, italics) Italian Pur·ga·to·rio [poo, r, -gah-, taw, -, r, yaw]. the second part of Dante's Divine Comedy, in which the repentant sinners are depicted. Compare inferno ( def 3 ), paradise ( def 7 ).
3. any condition or place of temporary punishment, suffering, expiation, or the like.

adjective

1. serving to cleanse, purify, or expiate.

purgatory

/ ˈpɜːɡətərɪ; -trɪ /

noun

1. RC Church a state or place in which the souls of those who have died in a state of grace are believed to undergo a limited amount of suffering to expiate their venial sins and become purified of the remaining effects of mortal sin
2. a place or condition of suffering or torment, esp one that is temporary

purgatory

1. In the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church , the condition of souls of the dead who die with some punishment (though not damnation ) due them for their sins. Purgatory is conceived as a condition of suffering and purification that leads to union with God in heaven . Purgatory is not mentioned in the Bible (see also Bible ); Catholic authorities defend the teaching on purgatory by arguing that prayer for the dead is an ancient practice of Christianity and that this practice assumes that the dead can be in a state of suffering — a state that the living can improve by their prayers.

Notes

A “purgatory” is, by extension, any place of suffering, usually for past misdeeds.

Word History and Origins

Origin of purgatory¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; (for the noun) Middle English purgatorie, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin pūrgātōrium, noun use of neuter of Late Latin pūrgātōrius “purging,” from pūrgā(re) “to purge” ( purge ) + -tōrius -tory ¹; adjective derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of purgatory¹

C13: from Old French purgatoire, from Medieval Latin pūrgātōrium, literally: place of cleansing, from Latin pūrgāre to purge

Example Sentences

If there’s a way out of his purgatory, no one can see it, the mounting defeats and shortage of high-end talent obscuring the path ahead.

From Los Angeles Times

“Queer media has been stuck in this niche purgatory for so long,” he said.

From Salon

Eventually, his mates reached him and took him away, to his own personal purgatory, no doubt.

From BBC

Despite the historic nature of her election — as the nation’s first female, Black and Asian American vice president — Harris has spent most of her vice presidency in a combination of obscurity and political purgatory.

From Los Angeles Times

Because you can make a case that the film’s near-empty apartment building serves as a stand-in for purgatory.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• limbo