Definition of purple passage
1
: a passage conspicuous for brilliance or effectiveness in a work that is dull, commonplace, or uninspired
2
chiefly British
: a piece of obtrusively ornate writing
— called also purple patch
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“Purple passage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purple%20passage. Accessed 16 Apr. 2021.
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The first known use of purple passage was in 1882
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