purple

1 of 3

adjective

pur·​ple ˈpər-pəl 

purpler ˈpər-p(ə-)lər  ; purplest ˈpər-p(ə-)ləst 

1

: having a color between red and blue : of the color purple

a purple flower

purple fabric

… can only have left his antagonists purple with frustration.

—Joseph Epstein

2

a

: ornately and showily phrased or expressed

… the writing often descends into the purple prose of a besotted fan.

—Stephen Holden

… Rice is a first-rate writer. There are no purple patches in this narrative, and no attempts to sermonize.

—Lawrence S. Cunningham

b

: marked by profanity

His language in public is so purple they had to stop broadcasting the meetings of the city council.

—Newsweek

3

US politics : having roughly equal levels of support for Democratic and Republican candidates or policies

… a blue candidate trying to swipe a red seat in a purple state.

—Don Rollins

… as the race pulled tighter than Paris Hilton's jeans, Kerry volunteers flooded the purple states to energize their voters—tens of thousands of them newly registered.

—Michelle Cottle

compare blue sense 9, red sense 5

4

dated : regal, imperial

purple

2 of 3

noun

1

a(1)

: cloth dyed purple

(2)

: a garment of such color

especially : a purple robe worn as an emblem of rank or authority

b(1)

: tyrian purple

(2)

: any of various colors that fall about midway between red and blue in hue

c(1)

: a mollusk (as of the genus Purpura) yielding a purple dye and especially the Tyrian purple of ancient times

(2)

: a pigment or dye that colors purple

2

a

: imperial or regal rank or power

b

: high rank or station

purple

3 of 3

verb

purpled; purpling ˈpər-p(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

: to make purple

intransitive verb

: to become purple

Synonyms of purple

Adjective

• rhetorical
• ornate

Examples of purple in a Sentence

Adjective

The book contains a few purple passages.

Her writing was full of purple prose.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Elderberry Is Rich in Antioxidants Elderberries are high in anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant that gives the berries their deep purple color. —Julie Scott, Verywell Health, 26 Jan. 2026

From the craggy cliffs and purple sand of Big Sur to the luxurious white sands of Carmel, the California coastline has something to offer virtually anyone looking for the perfect beach day. —Alanna Bennett, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Jan. 2026

Noun

In ancient Rome, wearing Tyrian purple was strictly reserved for the elites; unauthorized use was punishable by death. —Kian Bakhtiari, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026

This polish is a deep purple with strong blue undertones. —Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 20 Jan. 2026

Verb

Within hours, my husband had driven us across Indiana and into Illinois where dusk purpled the horizon, and then into Missouri as the night turned truly black. —Literary Hub, 15 Dec. 2025

Warning signs include yellowing within a week of infestation, purpling or reddening of leaves, stunting despite adequate moisture, weakening root systems and patchy areas of thinning or dead grass. —Christina Shaw, FOXNews.com, 12 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English purpel, alteration of purper, from Old English purpuran of purple, genitive of purpure purple color, from Latin purpura, from Greek porphyra

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing purple

• purple coneflower
• purple finch
• purple loosestrife
• purple martin
• purple passage
• purple scale
• royal purple
• Tyrian purple
• visual purple

Kids Definition

purple

1 of 3 adjective

pur·​ple ˈpər-pəl 

purpler -p(ə-)lər  ; purplest -p(ə-)ləst 

: of the color purple

purple

2 of 3 noun

: a color midway between red and blue

purple

3 of 3 verb

purpled; purpling ˈpər-p(ə-)liŋ 

: to turn purple

Medical Definition

purple

1 of 2 adjective

pur·​ple ˈpər-pəl 

purpler -p(ə-)lər  ; purplest -p(ə-)ləst 

: of the color purple

purple

2 of 2 noun

1

: any of various colors that fall about midway between red and blue in hue

2

: a pigment or dye that colors purple see visual purple