Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “pure” come from?

Pure comes from Middle English pur, from Old French pur, from Latin purus meaning "clean" or "unmixed," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots relating to purification and separation.

pure (English): Free of flaws or imperfections; unsullied; Free...

Definitions

  1. Free of flaws or imperfections; unsullied; Free...

Ancestry of “pure”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishpurepure, unadulterated, undiluted, untarnished;...
2Old Frenchpurpure; Alternative form of por
3Old FrenchautreAlternative form of altre; other
4Old Frenchvielife
5Old Frenchviḍe—
6Latinvitamaccusative singular of vīta
7Latinvīta—
8Latinvīvō—
9Proto-Italicgʷīwōlive, be alive
10Proto-Indo-Europeangʷíh₃wetito live, to be alive
11Proto-Indo-Europeangʷih₃wósalive, living
12Proto-Indo-Europeangʷeih₃w-to live

Words derived from “pure”

  • purely
  • purity
  • purer
  • purebred
  • pureness
  • ultrapure
  • pureblood
  • pureblooded
  • enantiopure
  • unpure
  • pureplay
  • nonpure
  • enantiopurity
  • hyperpure
  • radiopure
  • radiopurity
  • purey
  • nonpurity
  • unpureness
  • ピュア
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w- →