purist

noun

pur·​ist ˈpyu̇r-ist How to pronounce purist (audio)
: 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
puristic adjective
puristically adverb

Examples of purist in a Sentence

a purist who only drinks European wines
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Yet even when considering all the superyacht trappings, purists like Coles remain unconvinced. Chrissie McClatchie, Robb Report, 27 Sep. 2025 But Anderson knows that, amid clashing political extremes, racial and ideological purists can make surprising, and treacherous, bedfellows. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025 There’s certainly a case where purists may not like some, or all, of these changes. Hayes Madsen, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025 To that end, Moss is no purist. Mackensy Lunsford, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for purist

Word History

First Known Use

1699, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of purist was in 1699

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Cite this Entry

“Purist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purist. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

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