Expurgatorial

/ɪkˌspɜːɡəˈtɔːriəl/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or characteristic of the act of removing offensive material from written works.

Etymology

Formed from expurgator with the suffix -ial, creating an adjective to describe matters pertaining to expurgation. Rare in modern usage, primarily historical.

Kelly Says

This adjective is almost extinct—it appeared mainly in scholarly discussions of the Catholic Index and Renaissance book censorship, making it a linguistic fossil from when text control was a major institutional concern.

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