/kom'peuhr gay"sheuhn/ , n.
an early common-law method of trial in which the defendant is acquitted on the sworn endorsement of a specified number of friends or neighbors.
[ 1650-60; compurgation- (s. of compurgatio ), equiv. to com- COM- + purgat ( us ) (ptp. of purgare to PURGE) + -ion- -ION ]