purification
purification — noun
1. The process of removing harmful or unwanted substances from something such as wa
The process of removing harmful or unwanted substances from something such as water, air, or food, so that it becomes clean and safe.
The city's water treatment plant runs a three-stage purification process before supplying water to homes.
purification process
After the chemical spill, the river purification took over a year with special filtering equipment.
purification of [the river]
Minh bought a portable water purification bottle for her hiking trip in the mountains.
The spacecraft's purification system recycles waste water from showers and washing into clean drinking water.
- cleansing
more general and can apply to both physical and spiritual cleaning; less technical than purification
- filtration
specifically refers to passing through a filter; a narrower process than full purification
- decontamination
focuses on removing dangerous contaminants; more urgent and serious in tone
- contamination
the process of making something dirty or harmful
文法句型
purification + of [something]
purification + [method/system/process]
用法筆記
Often used with nouns that specify what is being cleaned: water purification, air purification, water purification system. The verb form is purify.
常見錯誤
2. In some religious traditions, a ceremony or set of actions that removes the bad
In some religious traditions, a ceremony or set of actions that removes the bad spiritual effects of breaking a moral or religious law, restoring a person's purity.
In many cultures, water purification rituals are performed before important religious ceremonies.
purification rituals
After confessing his mistakes, Theo took part in a traditional purification ceremony at the temple.
The priest explained that the purification rite restores balance between a person and the spiritual world.
Yuna's research paper examined how ancient Japanese purification practices influenced modern Shinto traditions.
- absolution
specifically the formal release from guilt or sin in Christian traditions; narrower than purification
- atonement
the action of making amends for wrongdoing, often through sacrifice or penance; a broader concept
- cleansing
used in both spiritual and physical contexts; less formal than purification
- defilement
the state of being made spiritually unclean or impure
文法句型
purification + ritual/ceremony/rite
purification + of [the soul/spirit/person]
用法筆記
This sense is specific to religious or spiritual contexts. It is different from sense 1, which refers to physical or chemical cleaning. The word purification here is almost always uncountable and preceded by an adjective or noun that indicates the religious tradition.
3. The scientific or industrial process that separates a concentrated, pure version
The scientific or industrial process that separates a concentrated, pure version of a specific material from a mixture or raw source containing other substances.
The purification of crude oil produces gasoline, diesel, and many other useful products.
purification of crude oil
In the lab, the protein sample purification required three rounds of filtering and testing.
purification of the protein sample
Arjun's research focuses on improving the purification of silicon for use in high-efficiency solar panels.
A pharmaceutical company patented a new purification technique that extracts medicine from plants at a lower cost.
- refining
nearly identical; refining is more common for metals and oil, while purification is broader
- distillation
a specific technique of purification that uses heating and condensation; narrower in meaning
- extraction
the act of taking something out; purification implies extraction plus removal of impurities
- adulteration
the process of making something impure by adding unwanted substances
文法句型
purification + of [substance]
purification + process/technique/method
用法筆記
Typically used in scientific, industrial, or laboratory contexts. Unlike sense 1 (physical cleansing for safety), this sense focuses on obtaining a concentrated, usable pure substance from a mixture. Frequent in chemistry and manufacturing.