Definitions for purple
ˈpɜr pəlpur·ple

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. purple, purplenessnoun

   a purple color or pigment

2. purpleadjective

   of imperial status

   "he was born to the purple"

3. purple, violet, purplishadjective

   of a color intermediate between red and blue

4. empurpled, over-embellished, purpleadjective

   excessively elaborate or showily expressed

   "a writer of empurpled literature"; "many purple passages"; "an over-embellished story of the fish that got away"

5. imperial, majestic, purple, regal, royalverb

   belonging to or befitting a supreme ruler

   "golden age of imperial splendor"; "purple tyrant"; "regal attire"; "treated with royal acclaim"; "the royal carriage of a stag's head"

6. purpleverb

   become purple

7. purple, empurple, purpurateverb

   color purple

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. purplenoun

   The colour worn by an emperor or king; by extension, imperial power.

   Etymology: From purpel, from purple, purpure, from purpura, from πορφύρα, of Semitic origin.

2. purplenoun

   Any of various species of mollusks from which Tyrian purple dye was obtained, especially the common dog whelk.

   Etymology: From purpel, from purple, purpure, from purpura, from πορφύρα, of Semitic origin.

3. purplenoun

   the purple haze cultivar of cannabis in the kush family, either pure or mixed with others, or by extension any variety of smoked marijuana

   Etymology: From purpel, from purple, purpure, from purpura, from πορφύρα, of Semitic origin.

4. purpleverb

   To turn purple in colour.

   Etymology: From purpel, from purple, purpure, from purpura, from πορφύρα, of Semitic origin.

5. purpleadjective

   Having a colour/color that is a dark blend of red and blue.

   Etymology: From purpel, from purple, purpure, from purpura, from πορφύρα, of Semitic origin.

6. purpleadjective

   Not predominantly red or blue, but having a mixture of Democrat and Republican support, as in purple state, purple city.

   Etymology: From purpel, from purple, purpure, from purpura, from πορφύρα, of Semitic origin.

7. purpleadjective

   Mixed between social democrats and liberals.

   Etymology: From purpel, from purple, purpure, from purpura, from πορφύρα, of Semitic origin.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Purplenoun

   a color formed by, or resembling that formed by, a combination of the primary colors red and blue

   Etymology: [OE. purpre, pourpre, OF. purpre, porpre, pourpre, F. pourpre, L. purpura purple fish, purple dye, fr. Gr. the purple fish, a shell from the purple dye was obtained, purple dye; cf. dark (said of the sea), purple, to grow dark (said of the sea), to be troubled; perh. akin to L. furere to rage, E. fury: cf. AS. purpure. Cf. Porphyry, Purpure.]

2. Purplenoun

   cloth dyed a purple color, or a garment of such color; especially, a purple robe, worn as an emblem of rank or authority; specifically, the purple rode or mantle worn by Roman emperors as the emblem of imperial dignity; as, to put on the imperial purple

   Etymology: [OE. purpre, pourpre, OF. purpre, porpre, pourpre, F. pourpre, L. purpura purple fish, purple dye, fr. Gr. the purple fish, a shell from the purple dye was obtained, purple dye; cf. dark (said of the sea), purple, to grow dark (said of the sea), to be troubled; perh. akin to L. furere to rage, E. fury: cf. AS. purpure. Cf. Porphyry, Purpure.]

3. Purplenoun

   hence: Imperial sovereignty; royal rank, dignity, or favor; loosely and colloquially, any exalted station; great wealth

   Etymology: [OE. purpre, pourpre, OF. purpre, porpre, pourpre, F. pourpre, L. purpura purple fish, purple dye, fr. Gr. the purple fish, a shell from the purple dye was obtained, purple dye; cf. dark (said of the sea), purple, to grow dark (said of the sea), to be troubled; perh. akin to L. furere to rage, E. fury: cf. AS. purpure. Cf. Porphyry, Purpure.]

4. Purplenoun

   a cardinalate. See Cardinal

   Etymology: [OE. purpre, pourpre, OF. purpre, porpre, pourpre, F. pourpre, L. purpura purple fish, purple dye, fr. Gr. the purple fish, a shell from the purple dye was obtained, purple dye; cf. dark (said of the sea), purple, to grow dark (said of the sea), to be troubled; perh. akin to L. furere to rage, E. fury: cf. AS. purpure. Cf. Porphyry, Purpure.]

5. Purplenoun

   any species of large butterflies, usually marked with purple or blue, of the genus Basilarchia (formerly Limenitis) as, the banded purple (B. arthemis). See Illust. under Ursula

   Etymology: [OE. purpre, pourpre, OF. purpre, porpre, pourpre, F. pourpre, L. purpura purple fish, purple dye, fr. Gr. the purple fish, a shell from the purple dye was obtained, purple dye; cf. dark (said of the sea), purple, to grow dark (said of the sea), to be troubled; perh. akin to L. furere to rage, E. fury: cf. AS. purpure. Cf. Porphyry, Purpure.]

6. Purplenoun

   any shell of the genus Purpura

   Etymology: [OE. purpre, pourpre, OF. purpre, porpre, pourpre, F. pourpre, L. purpura purple fish, purple dye, fr. Gr. the purple fish, a shell from the purple dye was obtained, purple dye; cf. dark (said of the sea), purple, to grow dark (said of the sea), to be troubled; perh. akin to L. furere to rage, E. fury: cf. AS. purpure. Cf. Porphyry, Purpure.]

7. Purplenoun

   see Purpura

   Etymology: [OE. purpre, pourpre, OF. purpre, porpre, pourpre, F. pourpre, L. purpura purple fish, purple dye, fr. Gr. the purple fish, a shell from the purple dye was obtained, purple dye; cf. dark (said of the sea), purple, to grow dark (said of the sea), to be troubled; perh. akin to L. furere to rage, E. fury: cf. AS. purpure. Cf. Porphyry, Purpure.]

8. Purplenoun

   a disease of wheat. Same as Earcockle

   Etymology: [OE. purpre, pourpre, OF. purpre, porpre, pourpre, F. pourpre, L. purpura purple fish, purple dye, fr. Gr. the purple fish, a shell from the purple dye was obtained, purple dye; cf. dark (said of the sea), purple, to grow dark (said of the sea), to be troubled; perh. akin to L. furere to rage, E. fury: cf. AS. purpure. Cf. Porphyry, Purpure.]

9. Purpleadjective

   exhibiting or possessing the color called purple, much esteemed for its richness and beauty; of a deep red, or red and blue color; as, a purple robe

   Etymology: [OE. purpre, pourpre, OF. purpre, porpre, pourpre, F. pourpre, L. purpura purple fish, purple dye, fr. Gr. the purple fish, a shell from the purple dye was obtained, purple dye; cf. dark (said of the sea), purple, to grow dark (said of the sea), to be troubled; perh. akin to L. furere to rage, E. fury: cf. AS. purpure. Cf. Porphyry, Purpure.]

10. Purpleadjective

    imperial; regal; -- so called from the color having been an emblem of imperial authority

    Etymology: [OE. purpre, pourpre, OF. purpre, porpre, pourpre, F. pourpre, L. purpura purple fish, purple dye, fr. Gr. the purple fish, a shell from the purple dye was obtained, purple dye; cf. dark (said of the sea), purple, to grow dark (said of the sea), to be troubled; perh. akin to L. furere to rage, E. fury: cf. AS. purpure. Cf. Porphyry, Purpure.]

11. Purpleadjective

    blood-red; bloody

    Etymology: [OE. purpre, pourpre, OF. purpre, porpre, pourpre, F. pourpre, L. purpura purple fish, purple dye, fr. Gr. the purple fish, a shell from the purple dye was obtained, purple dye; cf. dark (said of the sea), purple, to grow dark (said of the sea), to be troubled; perh. akin to L. furere to rage, E. fury: cf. AS. purpure. Cf. Porphyry, Purpure.]

12. Purpleverb

    to make purple; to dye of purple or deep red color; as, hands purpled with blood

    Etymology: [OE. purpre, pourpre, OF. purpre, porpre, pourpre, F. pourpre, L. purpura purple fish, purple dye, fr. Gr. the purple fish, a shell from the purple dye was obtained, purple dye; cf. dark (said of the sea), purple, to grow dark (said of the sea), to be troubled; perh. akin to L. furere to rage, E. fury: cf. AS. purpure. Cf. Porphyry, Purpure.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Purple

   Purple is a range of hues of color occurring between red and blue. The Oxford English Dictionary describes it as a deep, rich shade between crimson and violet. In the ancient world, purple was the color worn by Roman Emperors and magistrates, and later by Roman Catholic bishops. Since that time, purple has been commonly associated with royalty and piety.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Purple

   pur′pl, n. a very dark-red colour formed by the mixture of blue and red: a purple dress or robe, originally worn only by royalty: a robe of honour: the dignity of a king or emperor: a cardinalate, so called from the red hat and robes worn by cardinals.—adj. red tinged with blue: blood-red: bloody.—v.t. to dye purple: to clothe with purple.—v.i. to become purple in colour.—n. Pur′ple-fish, a shellfish of genus Purpura.—adjs. Pur′ple-frost′y (Tenn.), purple with frost or cold; Pur′ple-hued (Shak.), having a purple hue.—n.pl. Pur′ples, petechiæ or spots of livid red on the body: a disease of wheat: an early purple-flowered orchid.—adj. Pur′ple-spiked, having purple spikes.—ns. Pur′ple-wood, -heart, the heartwood of Copaifera pubiflora, used for ramrods.—adj. Pur′plish, somewhat purple.—Purple emperor, one of the largest of British butterflies, and one of the most richly coloured.—Born in the purple, of princely rank or birth; Tyrian purple, a fine purple dye for which the people of ancient Tyre were celebrated. [O. Fr. porpre (Fr. pourpre)—L. purpura—Gr. porphyra, the purple-fish.]

Etymology and Origins(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Purple

   This dye, in which the people of Tyre excelled, was discovered in the following manner:--One day a favourite dog of Hercules of Tyre ate a species of fish known to the ancients by the name of purpura, and on returning to his master his lips were found to be tinged with the colour, which, after a few experiments, Hercules successfully imitated.

Matched Categories

1. • Chromatic Color
   • Discolor

British National Corpus

1. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'purple' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4541

2. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'purple' in Adjectives Frequency: #950

How to pronounce purple?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say purple in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of purple in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of purple in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of purple in a Sentence

1. Tennessee Rep. Chuck Fleischmann:

   It’s a resolution really calling for a sense of Congress to encourage all of the parties, who have say in the process, to award our five fallen heroes in uniform who have died purple hearts, we don’t want a situation similar to what happened with the heroes who got killed at Fort Hood and they had to wait a very long time to get The Purple Heart.

2. Ally Coll:

   The Purple Campaigns mission is to end workplace sexual harassment by implementing stronger corporate policies, establishing better laws and empowering people to create lasting change within their own workplaces and communities.

3. Jennifer Glass:

   The big question, and a topic of active scientific debate, is whether the purple bacteria living on the ancient Earth had the ability to protect themselves from UV radiation well enough to inhabit vast expanses of the land surface, like plants do on the modern Earth, the spectral signature of the pigment would be much stronger if the pigmented bacteria covered the land surface.

4. Monica Rudiger:

   We want to make sure people don't want him just because he's purple, we don't want to encourage other people to do the same thing.

5. Kevin Wagner:

   News Talk Florida is a purple state that neither side can win, and that’s increasingly uncommon [ nationally ]. news Talk Florida is News Talk Florida and a very expensive state to run in.

Images & Illustrations of purple

Popularity rank by frequency of use