purity

noun

pu·​ri·​ty ˈpyu̇r-ə-tē How to pronounce purity (audio)
Synonyms of puritynext
1
: the quality or state of being pure
2

Examples of purity in a Sentence

struggling to live a life of purity while surrounded by wickedness
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.
Aging took place in a combination of large oak barrels, smaller tonneaux, and ceramic vats to balance purity, texture, and freshness. Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 14 Dec. 2025 Ella McCay is gas-leak cinema at its finest, which is to say that there is a naïve purity to its unhinged qualities that is almost charming. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025 The first Denver Mint opened for business in 1863 and was originally an assay office for miners to bring gold to be melted, tested for purity, and cast into bars. CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025 My mother may not have perpetuated harmful beliefs about food or bodies, but she was immersed in the evangelical purity culture of the 90s, and the expectations for mothers there were not unlike the heavy load therapeutic culture insists upon today. Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for purity

Word History

Etymology

Middle English purete, from Anglo-French purité, from Late Latin puritat-, puritas, from Latin purus pure

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of purity was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Purity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purity. Accessed 21 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

purity

noun
pu·​ri·​ty ˈpyu̇r-ət-ē How to pronounce purity (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being pure : freedom from impurities
2
: freedom from guilt or sin

Medical Definition

purity

noun
pu·​ri·​ty ˈpyu̇r-ət-ē How to pronounce purity (audio)
: the quality or state of being pure

More from Merriam-Webster on purity

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