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| Date: | 1200-1300 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | pur, from Latin purus |
1 a pure substance or material is not mixed with anything [≠ impure]
not mixed
[usually before noun]2 complete and total [= sheer]: 
a work of pure geniusa smile of pure joy My mother's life was pure hell. The chairman dismissed the report as pure speculation.
complete
[only before noun]a work of pure geniusa smile of pure joyMy mother's life was pure hell.The chairman dismissed the report as pure speculation.3 clean and not containing anything harmful [≠ impure]:
clean
4 used to emphasize that there is only one thing involved or worth considering : He wanted revenge, pure and simple.
pure and simple
He wanted revenge, pure and simple.5 without any sexual experience or evil thoughts [≠ impure]: a pure young girl They're too pure and innocent to know what's really going on.
morally good
literarya pure young girlThey're too pure and innocent to know what's really going on.6 very clear and beautiful : a cloudless sky of the purest blue Her voice, clear and pure, soared up to the roof.
colour or sound
CCa cloudless sky of the purest blueHer voice, clear and pure, soared up to the roof.7 typical of a particular style : His music is pure New York.
typical
[only before noun]His music is pure New York.8 bred from only one group or race : My husband is pure Japanese and traces his family back 800 years. The Highland is the oldest and purest breed of cattle in Britain.
breed/race
My husband is pure Japanese and traces his family back 800 years.The Highland is the oldest and purest breed of cattle in Britain.9 done according to an accepted standard or pattern :
art or study
[usually before noun]A10 work in science etc that increases our knowledge of the subject rather than using it for practical purposes
pure science/maths etc
H11 to be morally perfect - used humorously to say someone is not like this at all
