purple emperor
- noun
- UK
:
emperador púrpura
- Male purple emperors are known for their strikingly iridescent wings.
Examples
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The sighting of a purple emperor in the woods thrilled the butterfly enthusiasts.
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Children tried to photograph the elusive purple emperor as it basked in the sunlight.
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Look, a purple emperor!
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The purple emperor is a stunning butterfly.
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The sighting of a purple emperor in the woods thrilled the butterfly enthusiasts.
-
Children tried to photograph the elusive purple emperor as it basked in the sunlight.
-
Male purple emperors are known for their strikingly iridescent wings.
Synonyms
A large European butterfly with males that have shiny purple wings
Surface Forms
Morphology
Given that 'emperor' here denotes a type of butterfly and 'purple' is a straightforward color adjective, the compound simply names the butterfly by its color. This is a compositional, cross-linguistically common color + species pattern that a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand.
Etymology
Purple emperor may come from the butterfly's royal look. The male's wings shine purple like a royal robe and the insect seems like an emperor, so the name now means 'a large butterfly with a purple sheen'.
