Definition of LUSTRATE

lustrate

Meanings

Verb

  • purify by means of a ritual; also used in post-Communist countries to refer to the political cleansing of former officials
  • Synonym of purify, to ritually cleanse or renew, particularly to do so with a propitiatory offering or (historical) the lustration, quinquennial ritual of the Roman censor to cleanse the city after a census.
  • Synonym of pass through, traverse.
  • Synonym of look, look over, survey.
  • Synonym of luster, to impart luster to, to make lustrous.

Origin / Etymology

From Latin lustrātus (“lustrated”), perfect passive participle of lustrō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from lustrum (“ritual purification”) + -ō (first conjugation verb-forming suffix), q.v. In reference to imparting luster, further via senses of Middle French lustre, from Old Italian lustro.

Synonyms

look, look over, luster, particularly to do so with a propitiatory offering or, pass through, purify, survey, to impart luster to, to make lustrous, to ritually cleanse or renew, traverse

Scrabble Score: 8

lustrate is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
lustrate is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
lustrate is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 10

lustrate is a valid Words With Friends word