lustrate

An obsolete verb meaning to purify or cleanse, especially by means of a propitiatory offering or ceremonial washing.

• 🇩🇪Veralteter Begriff für reinigen oder weihen, besonders durch ein Sühnopfer oder rituelle Waschung.

1. Purify by ritual C2 formal

   To purify or cleanse something, especially through a religious or ceremonial ritual.

   • The priest lustrated the temple with holy water.
   • Ancient cultures would lustrate their homes after a death.
   • The ceremony was performed to lustrate the sacred ground.

   🇩🇪Durch Ritual reinigen

   Synonyme: cleanseconsecratehallowpurifysanctify

   Antonyme: contaminatecorruptdefilepolluteprofanetaint

2. Political cleansing C2 formal political

   To remove or exclude former officials or collaborators from public office, especially in post-Communist countries.

   • The new government sought to lustrate former secret police agents.
   • Many countries in Eastern Europe passed laws to lustrate their governments.
   • The process to lustrate corrupt officials took several years.

   🇩🇪Lustration

   Synonyme: cleansepurgepurify

• lustrated past participle
• lustrated past simple
• lustrating present participle
• lustrates third person singular