adjective
- not pure; mixed with extraneous matter, especially of an inferior or contaminating nature: impure water and air.
- modified by admixture, as color.
- mixed or combined with something else: an impure style of architecture.
- regarded by a religion as unclean, as animals or things.
- not morally pure or proper; unchaste or obscene: impure thoughts.
- marked by foreign and unsuitable or objectionable elements or characteristics, as a style of art or of literary expression.
adjective
- not pure; combined with something else; tainted or sullied
- (in certain religions)
- (of persons) ritually unclean and as such debarred from certain religious ceremonies
- (of foodstuffs, vessels, etc) debarred from certain religious uses
- (of a colour) mixed with another colour or with black or white
- of more than one origin or style, as of architecture or other design
mid-15c., from Middle French impur (13c.), from Latin impurus “unclean, filthy, foul,” from assimilated form of in- “not, opposite of” (see in- (1)) + purus “pure” (see pure). As a noun from 1784. Related: Impurely.