Compurgation
//kɒmpɜːˈɡeɪʃən// noun
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Acquitting someone from a formal charge or accusation following the sworn oaths of a number of other people; vindication. countable, historical, uncountable
"Between the later middle ages and the early seventeenth century, compurgation appears to have become an increasingly onerous test to pass, perhaps reflecting tightening attitudes to sexual offenders."
Example
More examples"Between the later middle ages and the early seventeenth century, compurgation appears to have become an increasingly onerous test to pass, perhaps reflecting tightening attitudes to sexual offenders."
Etymology
From Latin compurgātiōnem, from compurgāre (“to purify”).
More for "compurgation"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.