PURIFYING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does purifying mean? 

• PURIFYING (adjective)
  The adjective PURIFYING has 3 senses:

1. serving to purge or rid of sin

2. freeing from noxious matter

3. acting like an antiseptic

  Familiarity information: PURIFYING used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PURIFYING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Serving to purge or rid of sin

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Synonyms:

purgatorial; purging; purifying

Context example:

purgatorial rites

Pertainym:

purgation (the act of clearing yourself (or another) from some stigma or charge)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Freeing from noxious matter

Context example:

filtration is a purifying agent

Similar:

ablutionary; cleansing (cleansing the body by washing; especially ritual washing of e.g. hands)

antiseptic (freeing from error or corruption)

detergent; detersive (having cleansing power)

Antonym:

adulterating (making impure or corrupt by adding extraneous materials)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Acting like an antiseptic

Synonyms:

cleansing; purifying

Similar:

antiseptic (thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms)

 Context examples 

Whether it was the purifying of the deadly atmosphere by the opening of the chapel door, or the relief which we experienced by finding ourselves in the open I know not; but most certainly the shadow of dread seemed to slip from us like a robe, and the occasion of our coming lost something of its grim significance, though we did not slacken a whit in our resolution.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

In collaboration with other research groups based in Paris, Tunisia, and Almeria, the UGR scientists have focused on purifying the phenolic compounds found in cocoa bean extract and testing their toxicity at the cellular level.

(Scientists identify bioactive compounds in cacao pods to develop drugs to combat skeletal disorders, University of Granada)