English
pure
Pure comes from Middle English pure, from Old French pur, from Latin pūrus ‘clean, unmixed’, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pewH- ‘to cleanse, purify’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pewH-‘to cleanse, purify’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*pūrosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpūrus‘clear, clean, pure’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400pur‘pure’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500pure
- Englishearliest quotation 1526same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pewH-‘to cleanse, purify’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*pūrosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpūrus‘clear, clean, pure’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400pur‘pure’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500pure
- Englishearliest quotation 1526same form
Earliest quotation: 1526, [William Tyndale, The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible): “Laye hondes sodenly on no man nether be part…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pewH- ‘to cleanse, purify’
deputy, reputation, pity, pious, piety, putative, expiation, puro, 16 more
through Proto-Italic *pūros
through Latin pūrus ‘clean, free from dirt or filth, unmixed, plain’
pour, purity, purification, purify, purée, 9 more
through Old French pur
Today it means
adj Free of flaws or imperfections; unsullied.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *pewH- / pure