Definition of purple

Short definition: The word purple refers to a color between red and blue, often linked with imagination, richness, calm intensity, or uniqueness, and commonly used to describe objects, moods, styles, and visual details in daily life.

Looking for a clear and natural explanation of the word purple? The word purple is commonly used to describe a color, but it also appears in art, fashion, culture, and symbolic language. It sits between red and blue on the color spectrum and is often associated with creativity, richness, mystery, or luxury. You will hear it in everyday descriptions, design, emotions, and figurative expressions. Below, each meaning is explained in a calm and natural way, with enough detail to feel clear, human, and practical.

Forms: purple, purples, purpled, purpling
Related: violet adj., lavender n., crimson adj.
Syllable: pur-ple

1. (Adjective) Having a color that is a mix of red and blue often associated with richness or creativity.

   Purple describes a color created by combining red and blue, ranging from deep dark shades to lighter soft tones, and is often used to express creativity, imagination, luxury, or emotional depth.

   She wore a purple dress to the event, choosing the color because it felt elegant and slightly mysterious at the same time.
   The sky turned purple just before sunset, blending warm and cool tones across the horizon.
   Purple flowers lined the path, adding a calm yet vibrant feeling to the garden.

   Synonyms: violet, lavender, plum colored, mauve, lilac, amethyst, royal colored, grape colored, deep violet, soft purple tone, rich purple shade, bluish red
   Antonyms: colorless, clear, transparent, white, black, pale, neutral toned, gray, beige, plain colored, dull colored, faded

2. (Noun) The color purple itself or something that is purple in appearance.

   Purple as a noun refers to the color itself or to objects clothing or elements that show this color clearly and noticeably.

   Purple is often chosen in design to create a sense of creativity and individuality.
   The artist mixed blue and red carefully to achieve the perfect purple on the canvas.
   Different shades of purple can create very different moods in a room.

   Synonyms: violet color, lavender shade, plum tone, mauve color, lilac hue, royal purple, deep violet, soft purple, purple tone, amethyst shade, grape hue, colored shade
   Antonyms: absence of color, neutral tone, grayscale, clear tone, monochrome, black and white, colorlessness, plain shade, dull tone, neutral palette, faded hue, washed out color

3. (Verb) To become purple or cause something to turn purple.

   To purple means to turn purple in color or to make something take on a purple shade, often used to describe changes in skin plants or light.

   His face began to purple slightly in the cold wind as the temperature dropped.
   The leaves purpled as autumn approached and the weather cooled.
   The setting sun purpled the clouds across the evening sky.

   Synonyms: turn violet, darken in color, become purplish, color purple, tint violet, deepen in shade, shift color, change tone, take on purple, redden and blue, color shift, hue change
   Antonyms: fade, lighten, lose color, pale, bleach, clear, wash out, brighten, remove color, stay unchanged, decolorize, neutralize