purple

[ pur-puhl ]

noun

1. any color having components of both red and blue, such as lavender, especially one deep in tone.
2. cloth or clothing of this hue, especially as formerly worn distinctively by persons of imperial, royal, or other high rank.
3. the rank or office of a cardinal.
4. the office of a bishop.
5. imperial, regal, or princely rank or position.
6. deep red; crimson.
7. any of several nymphalid butterflies, as Basilarchia astyanax red-spotted purple, having blackish wings spotted with red, or Basilarchia arthemis banded purple, or white admiral, having brown wings banded with white.

adjective

, pur·pler, pur·plest.

1. of the color purple.
2. imperial, regal, or princely.
3. brilliant or showy.
4. full of exaggerated literary devices and effects; marked by excessively ornate rhetoric:

   a purple passage in a novel.

5. profane or shocking, as language.
6. relating to or noting political or ideological diversity:

   purple politics; ideologically purple areas of the country.

verb (used with or without object)

, pur·pled, pur·pling.

1. to make or become purple.

purple

/ ˈpɜːpəl /

noun

1. any of various colours with a hue lying between red and blue and often highly saturated; a nonspectral colour
2. a dye or pigment producing such a colour
3. cloth of this colour, often used to symbolize royalty or nobility
4. the purple
   high rank; nobility
5. 1. the official robe of a cardinal
   2. the rank, office, or authority of a cardinal as signified by this
6. the purple
   bishops collectively

adjective

1. of the colour purple
2. (of writing) excessively elaborate or full of imagery

   purple prose

3. noble or royal

Derived Forms

• ˈpurpleness, noun
• ˈpurplish, adjective
• ˈpurply, adjective

Other Words From

• purple·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of purple¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English purpel (noun and adjective), Old English purple (adjective), variant of purpure, from Latin purpura “kind of shellfish yielding purple dye, the dye, cloth so dyed,” from Greek porphýra; purpure, porphyry

Word History and Origins

Origin of purple¹

Old English, from Latin purpura purple dye, from Greek porphura the purple fish ( Murex )

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. born in / to the purple, of royal or exalted birth:

   Those born to the purple are destined to live in the public eye.

Example Sentences

The shift from comfortably red on election night to uncomfortably purple two weeks later has been held up by right-wing agitators as evidence of voter fraud.

From Los Angeles Times

California isn’t about to go Republican, or even return to purple.

From Los Angeles Times

Gary their guardian gorilla might rightfully claim some credit for their latest purple patch, and will be watching on from the back of the stage.

From BBC

The bridesmaids are expected to wear a ghastly purple leopard-print jumpsuit.

From Los Angeles Times

Isak scored 25 goals for the Magpies last season, but made a slower start to the new campaign and scored only once in his first seven appearances, before his current purple patch.

From BBC

Related Words

• color
• lavender
• lilac
• mauve
• periwinkle
• plum
• violet