Expurgated

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. The act of editing a publication to remove objectionable content is essential for making it suitable for specific audiences
2. A written work is considered to have undergone modification when offensive elements are carefully extracted
3. The process of revising a written text involves the careful removal of inappropriate or offensive material to enhance its acceptability for certain readers

Etymology: "Expurgated" is the past participle of "expurgate," which comes from Latin "expurgare," meaning "to purge, cleanse, or purify." The Latin verb combines "ex-," meaning "out," with "purgare," "to cleanse," the same root that gives English "purge" and "purgatory." In its original sense, then, to expurgate something was to clean it out, scouring away whatever was unwanted. The modern meaning of "expurgated" narrows this idea considerably. A text that has been expurgated has had its offensive, indecent, or objectionable passages removed, usually by an editor or censor, while the rest of the work is left standing. The cleansing is aimed at morality rather than dirt: the editor purges the book of material judged improper for its intended readers.

Synonyms: censored, edited

Antonyms: uncensored, uncut