Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Purification has 5 different meanings across 1 category:
the act of cleaning by getting rid of impurities
"The purification of the water involved filtering out all visible impurities before it was safe to drink."
the process of removing impurities (as from oil or metals or sugar etc.)
"The factory's purification process removed heavy metals from the recycled water before it was released into the river."
a ceremonial cleansing from defilement or uncleanness by the performance of appropriate rites
"The priest performed the ancient ritual of purification to cleanse the temple from the defilement caused by the sacred bloodshed."
the act of purging of sin or guilt; moral or spiritual cleansing
"purification through repentance"
The act or process of purifying; the removal of impurities.
"The purification of the water supply involved a complex system designed to remove all harmful impurities before distribution."
In plain English: Purification is the process of removing unwanted things to make something clean and pure again.
"The water purification process removed all impurities to make it safe for drinking."
Usage: Purification refers to the specific action of removing unwanted substances from something, such as water or chemicals. Use this term when describing a technical cleaning process rather than general moral cleansing or simple washing.
The word purification comes from the Old French term purificacion, which was borrowed directly from the Latin pūrificātiō. It entered English with its original meaning of making something pure or clean.