purpleheart

[ pur-puhl-hahrt ]

noun

1. the hard, purplish wood of any of several South American trees belonging to the genus Peltogyne, of the legume family, used for making furniture.

Word History and Origins

Origin of purpleheart¹

First recorded in 1790–1800; purple + heart

Example Sentences

The purpleheart backing on the bow broke, so Flohr replaced it with hickory.

From Washington Times

“The Evolver,” made with black walnut, purpleheart and elm burl woods, was inspired by a style of the 1870s.

From Washington Post

Matthew Duvall of Eighth Blackbird joins TCP, and the instruments they choose for this performance are five slats of purpleheart wood, tuned to different pitches, struck with wooden dowels.

From Washington Post

The room features woodwork of buttery satinwood and dark purpleheart, or amaranth.

From New York Times

JPG Woodworking: Los Angeles designer Kevin Griffin, a bio-medical researcher with a doctorate in genetics and embryology, creates spectacular connected star shapes in various woods such as cherry, purpleheart, lacewood and zebrawood.

From Los Angeles Times