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purgative

Pronunciation: /ˈpəːgətɪv/
Definition of purgative

adjective

  • strongly laxative in effect.
  • having the effect of ridding one of unwanted feelings or memories:the purgative action of language

noun

  • a laxative: a widely employed and useful purgative
  • a thing that rids one of unwanted feelings or memories:confrontation would be a purgative

Origin:

late Middle English: from Old French purgatif, -ive, from late Latin purgativus, from purgat- 'purified', from the verb purgare (see purge)

purgative in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of purgative in the US English dictionary

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