/ ˈpɜːgətri; NAmE ˈpɜːrgətɔːri/ noun [ U ]
1.
(usually Purgatory ) ( in Roman Catholic teaching ) a place or state in which the souls of dead people suffer for the bad things they did when they were living, so that they can become pure enough to go to heaven
2.
( informal , humorous ) any place or state of suffering
SYN hell :
Getting up at four o'clock every morning is sheer purgatory.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Anglo-Norman French purgatorie or medieval Latin purgatorium , neuter (used as a noun) of late Latin purgatorius purifying, from the verb purgare purify, from purus pure.