Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One who practices or urges strict correctness, especially in the use of words.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun One who aims scrupulously at purity, particularly in the choice of language; one who is a rigorous critic of purity in literary style.
  • noun One who maintains that the New Testament was written in pure Greek.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One who aims at excessive purity or nicety, esp. in the choice of language.
  • noun One who maintains that the New Testament was written in pure Greek.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to purism
  • noun An advocate of purism

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun someone who insists on great precision and correctness (especially in the use of words)

Etymologies

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Examples

  • But there is also the other side - what we might call the purist side - the side that appreciates great clutch plays no matter how foolish it was to punt to DeSean Jackson, he still had to score that touchdown, amazing passes, brilliant pass-rushing schemes and all the rest.

    A weekend to remember Stephen L. Carter 2010

  • Remember, this is the President who's only really lost his temper publicly with people like them - he labeled their positions, which were both more pragmatic and popular than his own, as "purist" - and whose Administration once singled out "the institutional left" for its nastiest attacks.

    The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com RJ 2012

  • Remember, this is the President who's only really lost his temper publicly with people like them - he labeled their positions, which were both more pragmatic and popular than his own, as "purist" - and whose Administration once singled out "the institutional left" for its nastiest attacks.

    The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com RJ 2012

  • I get called a purist all the time for seeking purity but I do make consessions where I know I must.

    Elections - fresh news by plazoo.com 2010

  • How could composing these pieces in advance ever match the spark and true flow of the group's all-live, no-overdub purist improvisational aesthetic?

    Dallas Observer | Complete Issue 2009

  • Even more interesting was the fact that I was called a purist!

    Red Virginia redvirginia 2008

  • Even more interesting was the fact that I was called a purist!

    Waldo's Virginia Political Blogroll 2008

  • Perhaps I'm just a blinkered "purist," but I've always thought books were published to be read, not to be scrutinized for their marketing devices.

    Writing and Publishing 2010

  • This kind of purist reform may lead to the marginalization of the GOP across america.

    RNC resolution won't 'handcuff' Steele, co-sponsor says 2009

  • They have decided not to go with the "expand the party, include more people" but rather to run with the "purist" tack – this is why we are seeing the nonsense we are seeing, with the lies and the death panels, and the misinformation.

    WH set to release text of controversial Obama school speech 2009

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