expurgate

verb

Etymology: From Latin expurgātus, perfect passive participle of expurgō (“purge, cleanse, purify”).

1. To edit out (incorrect, offensive, or otherwise undesirable information) from a book or other publication; to cleanse; to purge.

   “The publisher decided to expurgate the love scene from the book, to make it more child-friendly.”

   “Yossarian was busy expurgating all but romance words from the letters when the chaplain sat down in a chair between the beds and asked him how he was feeling.”

2. To undertake editing out incorrect, offensive, or otherwise undesirable information from (a book or other publication); to cleanse; to purge.

   “The publisher decided to expurgate the book, which meant removing the love scene.”