[ 'pə:gət(ə)ri ]
■ noun ( plural purgatories )
1》 (in Catholic doctrine) a place or state of suffering inhabited by the souls of sinners who are expiating their sins before going to heaven.
2》 mental anguish.
Derivatives
purgatorial adjective
Origin
ME: from Anglo-Norman Fr. purgatorie or med. L. purgatorium , neut. of late L. purgatorius , from purgare (see purge ).