purgatory
English · Thesaurus
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purgatory¹
- /ˈpɝɡəˌtɔɹi/ US
- /ˈpɜːɡət(ə)ɹi/ UK
Where it comes from
From Middle English purgatorie, from Old French purgatore, purgatorie, from Latin purgātōrium (“cleansing”). Cognate to English purge.
noun purgatories
- Alternative letter-case form of Purgatory
- Any situation where suffering is endured, particularly as part of a process of redemption. the purgatory of lost love
adjective more purgatory · most purgatory
- Tending to cleanse; expiatory. Last of all, the prodigie of Siracusa was expiat by a purgatory sacrifice, by direction from the soothsaiers to what gods, supplications and sacrifice should be made.
Purgatory²
proper noun purgatory
-
An intermediate state after death in which some of those ultimately destined for Heaven must first undergo purification.
Similar: afterlife
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: purgation, indulgence, penance, partial indulgence, redemption, damnation, purification, coredemption, redeeming, plenary indulgence, salvation, darnation, purifying, piation, reprobation, mortification
Translations
Every language
noun situation causing suffering
| Português | suplício |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Purgatorium |
name intermediate state after physical death
| Español | purgatorio |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 연옥 yeonok |
| 日本語 | 煉獄 rengoku |
| 中文 | 煉獄 /炼狱 liànyù |
| Português | purgatório |
| Français | purgatoire |
| Deutsch | Fegefeuer, Fegfeuer, Purgatorium |
| Italiano | purgatorio |
| Ελληνικά | καθαρτήριο kathartírio |
| Română | purgatoriu |
| Русский | чисти́лище čistílišče |
| Tiếng Việt | luyện ngục |
| العربية | مَطْهَر maṭhar |
| עברית | כור המצרף |
Talk about this word "purgatory." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/purgatory. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. purgatory. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/purgatory "purgatory." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/purgatory.Cite this
@misc{purgatory_2026,
title = {purgatory},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/purgatory},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
