Cleansing
/ˈklen.zɪŋ/noun
The act of removing dirt, impurities, or unwanted substances.
Did you know?Old English used cleansing language for both physical washing and ritual or moral purification, helping preserve the word’s spiritual associations today.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European (possibly)
PIE
*gel-
“To shine or have a bright, gleaming quality; this proposed root is linked to the Germanic family behind clean.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*klainiz
“Clear, pure, or clean.”
Old English
Old English
clǣne
“Clean, pure, free from dirt or moral impurity.”
Old English
Old English
clǣnsian
“To make clean or purify.”
Middle English
Middle English
clensen
“To cleanse, purify, or remove dirt.”
Modern English
English
cleansing
“The act or process of making clean or pure.”