Etymologically
Log in

purgatory

Etymology and origin of the English word purgatory

History Permalink

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈpɜːɡət(ə)ɹi/ (UK); /ˈpɝɡəˌtɔɹi/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It comes from Middle English purgatorie,[2][3][4][5] from Old French purgatoire[2][3][4] and from Medieval Latin purgatorium,[2][3][4][5][6] from Late Latin, “a means of cleansing”,[2][3][4] the neuter of pūrgātōrius “cleansing”, from Latin purgo (“to cleanse”).[2][3][4][5][6] It is related to purge.[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

A place or condition of temporary punishment after death, in which the souls of the penitent are cleansed before going to heaven (probably before 1200; before 1225 in the OED).[3][7][4]

Semantic evolution

Figuratively the word has meant any place or state of temporary suffering since the late 14th century,[4][7] at first especially of unrequited love or of marriage.[4] As an adjective it meant cleansing (1377).[7][2] In old New England it was used for a deep, narrow gorge (1766).[7][4]

Timeline

  • before 1200 – purgatoire.[3]
  • about 1290 – Saint Patrick's Purgatory, a cave in Lough Derg.[7]
  • 1377 – adjective, cleansing.[7]
  • about 1386 – a place or state of temporary suffering.[7]
  • 1766 – a narrow gorge, in New England.[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. In Roman Catholic and some other Christian belief, a state or place after death in which the souls of those dying in grace are purified of their sins before entering heaven.
  2. Any place or condition of temporary suffering, expiation or remorse.

Adjective

  1. Tending to cleanse or purge; expiatory.
  • purge
  • purgative
  • pure
  • inferno

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Purgatory.” Etymologically, 11 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/purgatory. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·