Pŭ'ri-ty, n.

n. [Lat. puritas, from purus, pure; O. Fr. purité, N. Fr. pureté, Pr. puritat, puretat, purtat, Sp. puridad, Pg. puridade, It. purità.] The condition of being pure; as, (a.) Freedom from foreign admixture or heterogeneous matter; as, the purity of water, of wine, of spirit; the purity of drugs; the purity of metals. (b.) Cleanness; freedom from foulness or dirt. “The purity of a linen vesture.” Holyday. (c.) Freedom from guilt or the defilement of sin; innocence; chastity; as, purity of heart or life. (d.) Freedom from any sinister or improper views; as, the purity of motives or designs. (e.) Freedom from foreign idioms, from barbarous or improper words or phrases; as, purity of style.