purity
gb/pjˈʊɹɪti/ us/pjˈʊɹɪti/
B1
English
~ 4300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
state
1
state of being clean
When something is very clean and has no dirt or bad things in it.
Usage pattern:
the purity of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'purity' with 'purification'; 'purity' is the state, while 'purification' is the process.
Synonyms
cleanliness (Focuses more on the absence of dirt, often in a physical or hygienic sense.)
Antonyms
contamination (Refers to the state of being made impure or harmful by contact with something unclean.)
Collocations
water purity
|air purity
|purity standard
|purity test
Themes
health
|science
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The purity of the drinking water is regularly tested.
- Air purity levels have improved in recent years.
- The lab ensures the purity of its chemical samples.
Learner examples
- The purity of the water is high.
- We check the purity of the air.
- The purity of food is important.
Noun
B2
property
2
moral innocence or chastity
When a person is good and has no sexual experience.
Usage pattern:
the purity of [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners may misuse 'purity' to describe general cleanliness when they mean moral character; context is important.
Synonyms
chastity (Specifically refers to refraining from sexual activity.)
Antonyms
corruption (Refers to moral decay or dishonesty.)
Collocations
purity of heart
|sexual purity
|moral purity
Themes
emotions
|social values
|relationships
|religion
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She was admired for her moral purity.
- The novel explores the loss of childhood purity.
- Some cultures place a high value on sexual purity before marriage.
Learner examples
- He has purity in his heart.
- The girl kept her purity until marriage.
- Purity is important in their religion.
Noun
B2
state
3
state of being unmixed
When something has only one thing in it and nothing else.
Usage pattern:
the purity of [a substance]
Synonyms
homogeneity (Emphasizes uniform composition, often in scientific contexts.)
Antonyms
mixture (A combination of two or more substances.)
Collocations
gold purity
|purity level
|purity percentage
Themes
science
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The gold's purity was 99.9%.
- High purity silicon is needed for these chips.
- They measure the purity of the sample before use.
Learner examples
- The purity of the gold is high.
- We check the purity of the oil.
- The purity is 90 percent.
Grammar
Dictionary form
purity
IPA
GB/pjˈʊɹɪti/
US/pjˈʊɹɪti/
Syllables & stress
pur - ity (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (pur)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: purity
- Plural: purities, purity
Word family
Expressions
purity of heart
1/pjˈʊɹɪti əv hˈɑɹt/
fixed phrase
being good and sincere inside
To have good and honest feelings without bad thoughts.
Examples
- He approached the task with purity of heart.
- Her speech reflected a purity of heart that moved everyone.
sexual purity
1/sˈɛkʃuəl pjˈʊɹɪti/
fixed phrase
not having sex before marriage
Not having sex before marriage or outside what is accepted by a group or religion.
Examples
- The church encourages sexual purity among its members.
- She took a vow of sexual purity.
water purity
1/wˈɔtɚ pjˈʊɹɪti/
fixed phrase
cleanness of water
How clean and safe water is to drink or use.
Examples
- Water purity is tested daily in the lab.
- We must improve water purity for public health.