/perr"geuh tawr'ee, -tohr'ee/ , n. , pl. purgatories , adj.
n.
1. (in the belief of Roman Catholics and others) a condition or place in which the souls of those dying penitent are purified from venial sins, or undergo the temporal punishment that, after the guilt of mortal sin has been remitted, still remains to be endured by the sinner.
2. ( cap., italics ) Italian, Purgatorio /poohrdd'gah taw"rddyaw/ . the second part of Dante's Divine Comedy, in which the repentant sinners are depicted. Cf. inferno (def. 3), paradise (def. 7).
3. any condition or place of temporary punishment, suffering, expiation, or the like.
adj.
4. serving to cleanse, purify, or expiate.
[ 1175-1225; (n.) ME purgatorie ( purgatorium, n. use of neut. of LL purgatorius purging, equiv. to purga ( re ) to PURGE + -torius -TORY 1 ; (adj.) ME purgatorie purgatorius ]