'Purple' definitions:

Definition of 'purple'

(from WordNet)
adjective
Of a color intermediate between red and blue [syn: purple, violet, purplish]
adjective
Excessively elaborate or showily expressed; "a writer of empurpled literature"; "many purple passages"; "an over- embellished story of the fish that got away" [syn: empurpled, over-embellished, purple]
adjective
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" [syn: imperial, majestic, purple, regal, royal]
noun
A purple color or pigment [syn: purple, purpleness]
noun
Of imperial status; "he was born to the purple"
verb
Become purple
verb
Color purple [syn: purple, empurple, purpurate]

Definition of 'Purple'

From: GCIDE
  • Purple \Pur"ple\, a.
  • 1. 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Imperial; regal; -- so called from the color having been an emblem of imperial authority. [1913 Webster]
  • Hide in the dust thy purple pride. --Shelley. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Blood-red; bloody. [1913 Webster]
  • May such purple tears be alway shed. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • I view a field of blood, And Tiber rolling with a purple blood. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
  • Purple bird (Zool.), the European purple gallinule. See under Gallinule.
  • Purple copper ore. (Min.) See Bornite.
  • Purple grackle (Zool.), the crow blackbird. See under Crow.
  • Purple martin. See under Martin.
  • Purple sandpiper. See under Sandpiper.
  • Purple shell. See Ianthina. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Purple'

From: GCIDE
  • Purple \Pur"ple\, n.; pl. Purples. [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.]
  • 1. A color formed by, or resembling that formed by, a combination of the primary colors red and blue. [1913 Webster]
  • Arraying with reflected purple and gold The clouds that on his western throne attend. -- Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: The ancient words which are translated purple are supposed to have been used for the color we call crimson. In the gradations of color as defined in art, purple is a mixture of red and blue. When red predominates it is called violet, and when blue predominates, hyacinth. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. 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. [1913 Webster]
  • Thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and purple, and scarlet. --Ex. xxvi. 1. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Hence: Imperial sovereignty; royal rank, dignity, or favor; loosely and colloquially, any exalted station; great wealth. "He was born in the purple." --Gibbon. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. A cardinalate. See Cardinal. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. (Zool.) Any species of large butterflies, usually marked with purple or blue, of the genus Basilarchia (formerly Limenitis) as, the banded purple ({Basilarchia arthemis}). See Illust. under Ursula. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. (Zool.) Any shell of the genus Purpura. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. pl.(Med.) See Purpura. [1913 Webster]
  • 8. pl. A disease of wheat. Same as Earcockle. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: Purple is sometimes used in composition, esp. with participles forming words of obvious signification; as, purple-colored, purple-hued, purple-stained, purple-tinged, purple-tinted, and the like. [1913 Webster]
  • French purple. (Chem.) Same as Cudbear.
  • Purple of Cassius. See Cassius.
  • Purple of mollusca (Zool.), a coloring matter derived from certain mollusks, which dyes wool, etc., of a purple or crimson color, and is supposed to be the substance of the famous Tyrian dye. It is obtained from Ianthina, and from several species of Purpura, and Murex.
  • To be born in the purple, to be of princely birth; to be highborn. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Purple'

From: GCIDE
  • Purple \Pur"ple\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Purpled; p. pr. & vb. n. Purpling.] To make purple; to dye of purple or deep red color; as, hands purpled with blood. [1913 Webster]
  • When morn Purples the east. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • Reclining soft in blissful bowers, Purpled sweet with springing flowers. -- Fenton. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'purple'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Words containing 'Purple'