purple
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"Colorful Language" [VI, 1] mentions that purple is royal but neglects to add that the royal purple has often stood for crimson.
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American Heritage Dictionary (9)
- noun Any of a group of colors with a hue between that of violet and red.
- noun Cloth of a color between violet and red, formerly worn as a symbol of royalty or high office.
- noun Imperial power; high rank: born to the purple.
Century Dictionary (53)
GNU Webster's 1913 (3)
WordNet (7)
Elsewhere on the web
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"Colorful Language" [VI, 1] mentions that purple is royal but neglects to add that the royal purple has often stood for crimson.
— VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol VI No 3 - Hermippos even had his dipped in purple, having heard that in Syracuse it was common wear. — The Mask of Apollo
- It was of black dipped in purple, with foot-deep borders crusted in bullion, amethyst, agate and pearl. — The Mask of Apollo
- This baby born in the purple was the Prince Imperial, whose fate beggars tragedy; who went to gather laurels on an African desert and fell a victim to a savage ambuscade â” his beautiful body stuck almost as full of cruel darts as that of the martyred young St. Sebastian. — Queen Victoria Her Girlhood And Womanhood
- Tyrian purple is made from clams. — Diary
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View all »Etymologies (4)
American Heritage Dictionary (1)
- Middle English, from Old English purpul, from purpure, purple garment, from Latin purpura, shellfish yielding purple dye, purple cloth, purple, from Greek porphurā.
Century Dictionary (2)
GNU Webster's 1913 (1)
WordNet
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Pronunciations
/ (pûrˈpəl)/
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American Heritage Dictionary