purgatory

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
purgatory /ˈpəːgət(ə)ri/

▶noun (pl. purgatories)

• 1 (in Catholic doctrine) a place or state of suffering inhabited by the souls of sinners who are expiating their sins before going to heaven.

• 2 mental anguish.

– derivatives
purgatorial adjective.

– origin ME: from Anglo-Norman Fr. purgatorie or med. L. purgatorium, neut. of late L. purgatorius, from purgare (see purge).