Purificatory

Purificatory is an adjective meaning relating to purification or cleansing, especially the removal of impurities. The term derives from Latin purificatorius, from purificare, to purify.

In religious and cultural contexts, purificatory rites are ceremonies or practices intended to cleanse a person or a space before sacred activity. These may involve washings, ablutions, or symbolic acts, and can vary widely across traditions.

In science and industry, purificatory describes procedures designed to purify substances. Purification aims to remove contaminants, and purificatory steps may include filtration, distillation, chromatography, crystallization, and other methods applicable to chemicals, reagents, or biological materials.

In literature and philosophy, purificatory is used metaphorically to denote moral or spiritual cleansing. References such as purificatory fire appear in religious, alchemical, and literary contexts to symbolize purification through trial.

The noun form purification is more common than purificatory; purificatory serves as a descriptor rather than a standalone term.