Purified

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈpjʊɹɪfaɪ.ɪŋ/

Definitions

1. Cleansed of impurities or harmful substances, rendering it safe for consumption or use
2. Made free from contaminants or other unwanted materials, resulting in a higher quality or enhanced state
3. Processed to remove all unwanted substances so it is clean and safe to use

Etymology: "Purified" is the past tense and past participle of "purify," so the story belongs to the verb itself. The root is the Latin adjective "pūrus," meaning "pure" or "clean," which English has kept in words like "pure" and "purity." Latin built "pūrificāre" from it by adding the verb-making element "-ficāre," from "facere" ("to make" or "to do"), so the sense is literally "to make pure." The word reached English in Middle English as "purifien" and "purifyen," borrowed through Old French "purifier." The Latin form had already been used in religious and ritual contexts, which helps explain why the English verb is so often applied to cleansing in a sacred or moral sense as well as a physical one.

Synonyms: cleansed, refined, filtered

Antonyms: contaminated, polluted