purification n.

late 14c., purificacioun, "ritual purification, a cleansing of the soul from guilt or defilement," originally especially in reference to the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary, from Old French purificacion, from Latin purificationem (nominative purificatio) "a purifying," noun of action from past-participle stem of purificare "to make pure" (see purify). General sense of "a freeing from dirt or defilement" is from 1590s.