Purgation
/ˌpɜːrˈɡeɪ.ʃən/noun
The act of cleansing or purifying, especially by removing something unwanted or harmful.
Did you know?Purgation comes from Latin *purgare*, a word tied to ritual cleansing in both medicine and religion—proof that words for “purity” often began as acts of force.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peuǵ-
“to cleanse, make pure”
Latin
Latin
purgare
“to cleanse, clear, or free from guilt”
Late Latin
Latin
purgatio
“a cleansing, purification”
Old French
Old French
purgacion
“purging, cleansing”
Middle English
English
purgacioun
“purging or cleansing”
Modern English
English
purgation
“the act of cleansing or purging”