pure

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Not mixed with anything else; clean and free of other substances.

   This ring is made of pure gold.

2. 2
   adj

   Clean and fresh, with no dirt or pollution.

   We breathed the pure mountain air.

3. 3
   adj

   Complete; nothing but.

   Meeting her there was pure luck.

4. 4
   adj

   Morally good; free of bad or sinful behaviour.

   She had a pure and gentle heart.

Common collocations

• pure luck Adjective + noun
• pure pleasure Adjective + noun

From Middle English pure, pur, from Old French pur, from Latin pūrus (“clean, free from dirt or filth, unmixed, plain”), from Proto-Indo-European *pewH- (“to cleanse, purify”). Displaced native Middle English lutter (“pure, clear, sincere”) (from Old English hlūtor, hluttor), Middle English skere (“pure, sheer, clear”) (from Old English scǣre and Old Norse skǣr), Middle English schir (“clear, pure”) (from Old English scīr), Middle English smete, smeate (“pure, refined”) (from Old English smǣte; compare Old English mǣre (“pure”)).

Topics