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Definition of "purist" [pur•ist]

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

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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