Etymology

purgatory

pur·ga·to·ry
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Today it means: Any situation where suffering is endured, particularly as part of a process of redemption. Full definition →

Middle English purgatorie ← Old French purgatore ← Latin purgātōrium
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The story

  1. Latin · derived frompurgātōrium“cleansing”
  2. Old French · derived frompurgatore
  3. Middle English · inherited frompurgatorie
  4. English todaypurgatory

From Middle English purgatorie, from Old French purgatore, purgatorie, from Latin purgātōrium (“cleansing”). Cognate to English purge.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.