n. [ Cf. F. purisme. ] Rigid purity; the quality of being affectedly pure or nice, especially in the choice of language; over-solicitude as to purity. “His political purism.” De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]
The English language, however, . . . had even already become too thoroughly and essentially a mixed tongue for his doctrine of purism to be admitted to the letter. Craik. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ Cf. F. puriste. ]
He [ Fox ] . . . purified vocabulary with a scrupulosity unknown to any purist. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]