lustrate

• Verbe rare ou littéraire signifiant purifier ou consacrer, en particulier par une offrande expiatoire ou une ablution rituelle.

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

1. Purify by ritualC2formal

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

   Purifier par un rituel

   • 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.

   Synonymescleanseconsecratehallowpurifysanctify

   Antonymescontaminatecorruptdefilepolluteprofanetaint

2. Political cleansingC2formalpolitical

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

   Lustration

   • 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.

   Synonymescleansepurgepurify