purga

P3U1R1G2A1

noun

A fine blizzard of snow in Russia.

OriginRussian пурга́ (purgá) ← Proto-Finnic *purku →
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Meanings

nounpurga (plural purgas)

plural purgas

  1. A fine blizzard of snow in Russia.

    When the black purga blows it can pile the snow higher than a ship's mast overnight.

    2005, James Meek, The People's Act of Love, Canongate, published 2006, page 191

Origin

  1. Proto-Finnic*purku
  2. Russianпурга́ (purgá)
  3. Englishpurga

From Russian пурга́ (purgá), from a Finnic source such as southern Karelian purgu or Veps purg (“snowstorm”).

More words from Russian, Finnic

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

purga. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/purga

MLA

“purga.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/purga. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “purga,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/purga.

Source: purga on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.