pure

adjective

ˈpyu̇r 

purer; purest

1

a(1)

: unmixed with any other matter

pure gold

(2)

: free from dust, dirt, or taint

pure spring water

(3)

: spotless, stainless

b

: free from harshness or roughness and being in tune

—used of a musical tone

c

of a vowel : characterized by no appreciable alteration of articulation during utterance

2

a

: being thus and no other : sheer, unmitigated

pure folly

b(1)

: abstract, theoretical

pure research

(2)

: a priori

pure mechanics

c

: not directed toward exposition of reality or solution of practical problems

pure literature

d

: being nonobjective and to be appraised on formal and technical qualities only

pure form

3

a(1)

: free from what vitiates, weakens, or pollutes

(2)

: containing nothing that does not properly belong

b

: free from moral fault or guilt

c

: marked by chastity : continent

d(1)

: of pure blood and unmixed ancestry

(2)

: homozygous in and breeding true for one or more characters

e

: ritually clean

4

: having exactly the talents or skills needed for a particular role

a pure shooter in basketball

pureness noun

Synonyms

• absolute
• fine
• neat
• plain
• purified
• refined
• straight
• unadulterated
• unalloyed
• undiluted
• unmixed

Choose the Right Synonym for pure

chaste, pure, modest, decent mean free from all taint of what is lewd or salacious.

chaste primarily implies a refraining from acts or even thoughts or desires that are not virginal or not sanctioned by marriage vows.

they maintained chaste relations

pure differs from chaste in implying innocence and absence of temptation rather than control of one's impulses and actions.

the pure of heart

modest and decent apply especially to deportment and dress as outward signs of inward chastity or purity.

preferred more modest swimsuits

decent people didn't go to such movies

Examples of pure in a Sentence

The company bottles only the purest water.

the pure notes of the flute

Recent Examples on the Web

Two of the league’s best pure scorers and most pugnacious alpha dogs go at it Wednesday, with each trying more than 10 3-pointers a game this season. —Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 25 Dec. 2024

After recapturing Jerusalem’s Holy Temple, which had been converted into a place of idol worship, the website says, the Maccabees searched for pure oil with which to light the Temple menorah. —Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 24 Dec. 2024

Our two-story villa with a private pool felt like pure luxury. —Holly Robinson Peete, Newsweek, 22 Dec. 2024

My father-in-law, a Harvard professor, of pure Irish extraction, had a prodigious memory and was heir to the Celtic oral tradition. —Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French pur, pure, going back to Latin pūrus "free from dirt, unmixed with other matter, free from ceremonial defilement or moral stain," going back to Indo-European *puh₂-ro-, whence also Middle Irish úr "fresh, new (of greenery), fair, bright," Welsh ir "verdant, fresh, thriving," adjectival derivative from the verb base *peu̯h₂- "clean, purify," whence, with varying ablaut and suffixation, Sanskrit punā́ti "(s/he) purifies, cleanses," pávate "(s/he) becomes clean, is purified," pavítra- "sieve," Avestan pūitika- "used for purification," Old High German fewen, fouwen "to pass through a sieve"

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing pure

• (as) pure as the driven snow
• hyper-pure
• pure and simple
• pure-blood
• pure-blooded
• pure democracy
• pure imaginary
• simon-pure

Kids Definition

pure

adjective

ˈpyu̇(ər 

1

: not mixed with anything else : free from everything that might make dirty, change, or lower the quality

pure water

2

: free from sin or guilt

especially : chaste sense 1

3

: nothing other than

pure nonsense

4

: not applied to everyday problems : theoretical

pure science

pure mathematics

5

a

: of unmixed ancestry

b

: producing offspring which do not vary from the type of the parents or among themselves with respect to one or more characters

Medical Definition

pure

adjective

ˈpyu̇(ə)r 

purer; purest

1

: unmixed with any other matter

pure gold

2

: free from dust, dirt, or taint

pure food

3

a

: of unmixed ancestry : purebred

b

: homozygous in and breeding true for one or more characters

pureness noun

Legal Definition

pure

adjective

1

a

: unmixed with any other matter

b

: free from dirt or taint

2

: being thus and nothing other

a pure no-fault compensation system

purely adverb

pureness noun