purist

pur·ist | \ ˈpyu̇r-ist

How to pronounce purist (audio)

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Definition of purist

: a person who adheres strictly and often excessively to a tradition especially : one preoccupied with the purity of a language and its protection from the use of foreign or altered forms

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Examples of purist in a Sentence

a purist who only drinks European wines

Recent Examples on the Web Director Matthew Gardiner and choreographer Denis Jones had the idea — some purists would say, the nerve! — to work their own dance notions into those conceived by the original director/creative genius Michael Bennett. — Peter Marks, Washington Post, "Out of dozens and dozens of plays and musicals, these deserved the hottest spotlight," 10 Dec. 2019 The thought of fly casting for a fish that bears a superficial resemblance to a snake may be more than some purists can stomach. — Robert D. Mcfadden, New York Times, "Nelson Bryant, ‘Supreme Chronicler’ of Outdoor Life, Dies at 96," 13 Jan. 2020 While some Corvette purists might grumble about it, most critics and fans seem to be pumped up. — Nathan Bomey, USA TODAY, "12 most anticipated new cars and trucks of 2020: These upcoming vehicles are ones to watch," 3 Dec. 2019 The 172 was an immediate hit despite criticism from some purists at the time. — Alex Hollings, Popular Mechanics, "Why the Cessna Is Such a Badass Plane," 17 Oct. 2019 The inclusion of the throttle is sure to rankle some purists who think this makes bikes like the RadWagon more of a moped than a bicycle. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, "RadWagon electric cargo bike review: the SUV of e-bikes," 8 Aug. 2019 This rugged range in the Rockies is paradise for ski purists. — Jen Murphy, Sunset Magazine, "Earn Your Burn on a Secret Backcountry Skiing Adventure in Colorado," 13 Jan. 2020 This overloaded finale, directed by J.J. Abrams, is for everybody and nobody, a movie that’s sometimes reasonably entertaining but that mostly feels reverse-engineered to ensure that the feathers of the Star Wars purists remain unruffled. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Tries Too Hard to Be Everything to Everyone," 18 Dec. 2019 This overloaded finale, directed by J.J. Abrams, is for everybody and nobody, a movie that’s sometimes reasonably entertaining but that mostly feels reverse-engineered to ensure that the feathers of the Star Wars purists remain unruffled. — Nick Romano, EW.com, "The Rise of Skywalker reviews point to more Star Wars discourse," 18 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'purist.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

14 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Purist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purist. Accessed 19 Feb. 2020.

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