purge
UK: pɜːdʒ | US: pɜːrdʒ
v. to remove unwanted people or things from a group or place
v. to rid of impurities or guilt
n. an act of removing unwanted elements
purge = pur<clean> + ge<verb suffix>
- pur (from Latin purus, meaning "clean, pure")
- ge (a verb-forming suffix, often indicating action)
Etymology Origin:
The word "purge" traces back to Latin purgare, meaning "to cleanse or purify." It entered English via Old French purger, retaining the core idea of removal or cleansing—whether physical (impurities) or abstract (guilt, political dissent). The morpheme "pur" reflects purity, while the suffix "-ge" marks it as an action. Historically, the term was used in medical contexts (e.g., purging toxins) and later extended to ideological or political cleansing.
The dictator ordered a purge of dissidents from the government.
She drank herbal tea to purge toxins from her body.
The company plans to purge outdated records next month.
In medieval times, fasting was believed to purge the soul of sin.
The software update will purge corrupted files automatically.