purple Hear it!

purple definition

pur·ple (pʉr′pəl)

noun

  1. a dark color that is a blend of red and blue
  2. Now Rare
    1. deep crimson
    2. cloth or clothing of such color: an emblem of royalty or high rank

Etymology: ME purpel < OE (Northumbrian) purpl(e), dissimilated var. of WS purpur(e) < L purpura, purple < Gr porphyra, shellfish yielding purple dye

adjective

  1. of the color purple
  2. imperial; royal
    1. ornate or elaborate in literary style: usually used pejoratively purple prose
    2. profane or obscene purple language

transitive verb, intransitive verb purpled -·pled, purpling -·pling

to make or become purple
purple Idioms

born to the purple

or born in the purple
being of royal or high birth

the purple

royal or high rank

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

purple Synonyms

purple

modif.

purplish, purply, purpled, reddish blue, bluish red; see also red, blue 1.

Hues of purple include: lilac, violet, mauve, heliotrope, magenta, plum, lavender, orchid, grape, puce, pomegranate, royal purple, Tyrian purple, Indian purple, dahlia purple, wine, solferino.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

purple Usage Examples

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • turn: The lines had immediatly turned a dark purple on her leg.

Modifies a noun

  • moor-grass: They then move back to lay eggs in the bases of purple moor-grass stems.

Modifying Another Word

  • deep: The flower color varies from white through to very deep purple.

Used with adjective complement

  • turn: Answer " Love life " and her love meter will turn purple.

Preposition: in

  • color: The typical rash seen in meningococcal disease is purple in color, looking somewhat like a bruise.

Preposition: with

  • spot: The bell-shaped 5-petalled flowers are purple with brown spots, 5 cm across, and appear in clusters of 10-15 in May.
purple usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

purple quotes

Th' have left thee naked, Lord,O that they had! Thisgarment too I would they had denied. Thee with thyself they have too richly clad, Opening the purple wardrobe of thy side. O never could be found garments too good For thee to wear, but these, of thine own blood.

-Crashaw, Richard

Purple haze is in my brain Lately things don't seem the same.

-Hendrix,Jimi (James Marshall)

Hood an ass with reverend purple, So you can hide his two ambitious ears, And he shall pass for a cathedral doctor.

-Jonson, Ben

purple quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"purple." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/purple>

APA Style

purple. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/purple

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