purple
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈpɜrpl/
- Archaic
- "There is no dignity in wickedness, whether in purple or rags; and hell is a democracy of devils, where all are equals."
Examples
-
The Jews of Susa shouted with joy when they saw Mordecai robed in purple.
Fiction book (1998) -
When I was sixteen I was forced to marry into the purple
-
Mighty are the men who wear the purple and the gold
-
And the kings, the traditional kings who were born to the purple, to be put aside.
-
Eleusis was still standing when Julian was elevated to the imperial purple in A.D. 360.
Academic text (2000) -
And speaking of colors, I caught a mistake of my own recently, just in time—only the royal family was allowed to wear purple in Byzantium in the 1200s.
Academic text (2008) -
We are told that Valerian, in chains but invested with the Imperial purple, was exposed to the multitude, a constant spectacle of fallen greatness; and that whenever the Persian monarch mounted on horseback, he placed his foot on the neck of a Roman emperor.
Academic text (2002) -
Mighty are the men who wear the purple and the gold.
-
Following Nicephorus' murder, Tzimisces took steps to establish his claim to the imperial purple.
-
When I was sixteen, I was forced to marry into the purple.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A high royal position held by an emperor
Antonyms
Idioms
Compounds
- Formal
36
4.1
A military medal given to people in the United States military who are wounded or killed in action
- Specialized
1
7.6
A large North American swallow with shiny blue-black males and duller females
1
8.9
A tall marsh plant with long purple flower spikes that crowd out native plants
- Formal
1
6.0
A United States military medal that is given to service members wounded or killed in combat
- Informal
1
9.9
A silly phrase people use to say something is confusing or absurd
1
2.0
A round vegetable with purple skin and a mild, slightly sweet taste often eaten raw in salads or on burgers
- Specialized
1
6.0
A small North American bird with males that have red heads and females with brown streaks
- Specialized
1
6.1
Small living things that use light to make energy, look pink or purple, and live where there is little oxygen
- Specialized
1
7.5
A climbing plant with purple flowers that grows on fences or walls
1
9.9
A wild plant with silvery leaves, violet, blue or white flowers and round berries used to make milk into cheese
1
9.9
A North American orchid with a long stem of purple and white flowers that form a hood
- Specialized
1
9.6
A reddish purple substance at the back of the eye that helps you see in dim light
- Specialized
1
9.9
A bright purple-blue marsh bird with a red bill that lives in marshes
1
9.9
A long-lived plant with strong-smelling pink or purple flowers and a root used in traditional medicine to help childbirth
1
9.8
A North American orchid with clusters of purple fringed flowers that grows in wet meadows and marshes
- Specialized
1
9.0
A wildflower with purple stems and clusters of violet or blue flowers
- Specialized
1
9.6
A small plant that lives for several years with purple flowers that bloom in spring
1
9.1
A plant that grows back every year with divided leaves and purple drooping flowers in northern regions
- Australian
1
8.7
An Australian shrub that keeps its leaves all year and has shiny green leaves and bright purple flowers
A wild orchid with pink or purple flowers in a loose cluster that blooms in spring
- Specialized
A type of tree with shiny purple or copper-coloured leaves often grown in gardens
- Specialized
A North American flowering herb with leaves in rings and small purple spotted flowers
A California plant with white and pale purple flowers that grow in rings around the stem like a small tower
- Specialized
A plant with purple to pink flowers that farmers grow for animal food and to make soil better
- US
A small evergreen shrub with purple flowers that grows in wet places in the southeastern United States
A small fruit tree with purple twigs, white flowers, and purple fruit grown mainly for its looks
- Specialized
An orchid from North America with rosy purple flowers and finely toothed leaves
Surface Forms
Etymology
Purple as a noun meaning the position of imperial power comes from the emperor's purple robe, so being in the 'purple' meant holding 'imperial power' or being part of the imperial family.