rhizoverbBeta
DictionarypurityUnmixed or unaltered state
noun

purity

PYOOR-uh-tee/ˈpjʊrəti/

Freedom from contamination or unwanted mixture.

The clear water in the bowl represents purity.

Clean water droplet and clear bowl.
Etymology
purLatinclean, unmixed, undefiled
+ityLatinstate or quality

Latin purus covered both unmixed material and an undefiled moral state. Purity preserves that range: it can mean freedom from adulteration or freedom from moral corruption.

In context

ABC News In-depth28:45
we were taught to glorify her and revere her as a symbol of chastity and purity and virginity and a teen saint that we should aspire to be like in our daily lives.
Inside the school where 'purity is everything' | Four Corners

More examples

  • The laboratory checks the purity of our drinking water.
  • This stamp indicates the gold's purity.
  • Even a small amount of dust reduces the sample's purity.

Forms

purity

pure adjective — Free from contamination or unwanted substances.

purify verb — Remove unwanted substances from a material.

Similar words

cleanliness
Emphasizes freedom from dirt rather than from other ingredients.
fineness
Specifically measures the proportion of precious metal in an alloy.