1.  purple(n = noun.attribute) purpleness - a purple color or pigment;
is a kind of chromatic color, chromatic colour, spectral color, spectral colour
has particulars: lavender, mauve, reddish purple, royal purple, reddish blue, violet
Derived forms verb purple₂, verb purple₁, adjective purple₁, verb purpurate₁

2.  purple(n = noun.state) - of imperial status; "he was born to the purple"
is a kind of nobility, noblesse
Derived form adjective purple₃

1.  purple(v = verb.change) - become purple;
is one way to color, colour, discolor, discolour
Derived form noun purple₁
Sample sentences: Something ----s

2.  purple(v = verb.change) empurple, purpurate - color purple;
is one way to color, color in, colorise, colorize, colour, colour in, colourise, colourize
Derived form noun purple₁
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something

1.  purple(s = adj.all) purplish, violet - of a color intermediate between red and blue;
Derived forms noun purple₁, noun purpleness₁

2.  purple(s = adj.all) empurpled, over-embellished - excessively elaborate or showily expressed; "a writer of empurpled literature"; "many purple passages"; "an over-embellished story of the fish that got away"

3.  purple(s = adj.all) imperial, majestic, regal, royal - 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"
Derived form noun purple₂

1.  A color formed by, or resembling that formed by, a combination of the primary colors red and blue. [1913 Webster]
" 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]
"Arraying with reflected purple and gold
The clouds that on his western throne attend." [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." [1913 Webster]

3.  Hence: Imperial sovereignty; royal rank, dignity, or favor; loosely and colloquially, any exalted station; great wealth. Gibbon. [1913 Webster]

4.  A cardinalate. See Cardinal. [1913 Webster]

5.  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.  Any shell of the genus Purpura. [1913 Webster]

7.  See Purpura. [1913 Webster]

8.  A disease of wheat. Same as Earcockle. [1913 Webster]
" 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]

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." [1913 Webster]

3.  Blood-red; bloody. [1913 Webster]
"May such purple tears be alway shed." [1913 Webster]
"I view a field of blood,
And Tiber rolling with a purple blood." [1913 Webster]

   To make purple; to dye of purple or deep red color; as, hands purpled with blood. [1913 Webster]
"When morn
Purples the east." [1913 Webster]
"Reclining soft in blissful bowers,
Purpled sweet with springing flowers." [1913 Webster]

purple, n., adj., & v.
--n.
1 a colour intermediate between red and blue.
2 (in full Tyrian purple) a crimson dye obtained from some molluscs.
3 a purple robe, esp. as the dress of an emperor or senior magistrate.
4 the scarlet official dress of a cardinal.
5 (prec. by the) a position of rank, authority, or privilege.
--adj. of a purple colour.
--v.tr. & intr. make or become purple.

Idiom:
born in the purple
1 born into a reigning family.
2 belonging to the most privileged class. purple emperor a large butterfly, Apatura iris, with purple wings. purple heart Brit. colloq. a heart-shaped stimulant tablet, esp. of amphetamine. Purple Heart (in the US) a decoration for those wounded in action.
purple passage (or patch)
1 an ornate or elaborate passage in a literary composition.
2 Austral. colloq. a piece of luck or success.

Derivative:
purpleness n. purplish adj. purply adj.

Etymology:
OE alt. f. purpure purpuran f. L purpura (as PURPURA)

N  scepter, regalia, caduceus, Mercury's rod, Mercury's staff, Mercury's wand, rod of empire, mace, fasces, wand, staff, staff of office, baton, truncheon, flag, ensign of authority, emblem of authority, badge of authority, insignia of authority, throne, chair, musnud, divan, dais, woolsack, toga, pall, mantle, robes of state, ermine, purple, crown, coronet, diadem, tiara, cap of maintenance, decoration, title, portfolio, key, signet, seals, talisman, helm, reins.

N  redness, red, scarlet, vermilion, carmine, crimson, pink, lake, maroon, carnation, couleur de rose, rose du Barry, magenta, damask, purple, flesh color, flesh tint, color, fresh color, high color, warmth, gules, ruby, carbuncle, rose, rust, iron mold, cinnabar, cochineal, fuchsine, ruddle, madder, Indian red, light red, Venetian red, red ink, annotto, annatto, realgar, minium, red lead, redness, rubescence, rubicundity, rubification, erubescence, blush, red, reddish, rufous, ruddy, florid, incarnadine, sanguine, rosy, roseate, blowzy, blowed, burnt, rubicund, rubiform, lurid, stammell blood red, russet buff, murrey, carroty, sorrel, lateritious, rubineous, rubricate, rubricose, rufulous, rose-colored, ruby-colored, cherry-colored, claret-colored, flame- colored, flesh-colored, peach-colored, salmon-colored, brick-colored, brick-colored, dust-colored, blushing, erubescent, reddened, red as fire, red as blood, red as scarlet, red as a turkey cock, red as a lobster, warm, hot, foxy.

N  purple, blue and red, bishop's purple, aniline dyes, gridelin, amethyst, purpure, heliotrope, lividness, lividity, purple, violet, ultraviolet, plum-colored, lavender, lilac, puce, mauve, livid, purple, blue and red, bishop's purple, aniline dyes, gridelin, amethyst, purpure, heliotrope, lividness, lividity, purple, violet, ultraviolet, plum-colored, lavender, lilac, puce, mauve, livid.

banded purple, early purple orchid, late purple aster, order of the purple heart, purple amaranth, purple anise, purple apricot, purple avens, purple bacteria, purple beech, purple boneset, purple chinese houses, purple clematis, purple clover, purple cress, purple emperor, purple finch, purple fringeless orchid, purple fringeless orchis, purple gallinule, purple grackle, purple granadillo, purple ground cherry, purple heart, purple heather, purple loco, purple locoweed, purple loosestrife, purple martin, purple milk vetch, purple mullein, purple nightshade, purple onion, purple orchis, purple osier, purple passage, purple pea, purple poppy mallow, purple rock brake, purple sage, purple sanicle, purple saxifrage, purple silkweed, purple strawberry guava, purple trillium, purple velvet plant, purple virgin's bower, purple willow, red-spotted purple, reddish purple, retinal purple, royal purple, texas purple spike, tyrian purple, visual purple