(pl. -ies)
1- (in Catholic doctrine) a place or state of suffering inhabited by the souls of sinners who are expiating their sins before going to heaven（天主教教义）炼狱。
1.1
- mass noun mental anguish or suffering（精神上的）痛苦（或苦楚）：
this was purgatory, worse than anything she'd faced in her life.
这是她有生以来遭遇的最糟糕的精神折磨。
- archaic having the quality of cleansing or purifying〈古〉清洗的; 清除的; 净化的：
infernal punishments are purgatory and medicinal.
地狱的惩罚既有涤罪又有药到病除的作用。
派生词
purgatorial
adjective词源
Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French purgatorie or medieval Latin purgatorium, neuter (used as a noun) of late Latin purgatorius 'purifying', from the verb purgare （see PURGE）.