FluentPlex

purple

/ˈpɝ.pl̩/ noun A1
  1. A colour between red and blue; violet, though often closer to magenta. (countable, uncountable)
  2. Any non-spectral colour on the line of purples on a colour chromaticity diagram or a colour wheel between violet and red. (countable, uncountable)
  3. Cloth, or a garment, dyed a purple colour; especially, a purple robe, worn as an emblem of rank or authority; specifically, the purple robe or mantle worn by Ancient Roman emperors as the emblem of imperial dignity. (countable, uncountable) · to put on the imperial purple
  4. Imperial power. (countable, uncountable) · 1776-1788, Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire He was born in the purple.
  5. Any of various species of mollusks from which Tyrian purple dye was obtained, especially the common dog whelk. (countable, uncountable)
  6. The purple haze cultivar of cannabis in the kush family, either pure or mixed with others, or by extension any variety of smoked marijuana. (countable, uncountable)
  7. Purpura. (countable, uncountable)
  8. Earcockle, a disease of wheat. (countable, uncountable)

Plural purples

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From the library

There were big yellow and white and blue and purple blossoms, besides great clusters of scarlet poppies, which were so brilliant in color they almost dazzled Dorothy’s eyes.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, p. 48 · B2
A PEACOCK spreading its gorgeous tail mocked a Crane that passed by, ridiculing the ashen hue of its plumage and saying, “I am robed, like a king, in gold and purple and all the colors of the rainbow; while you have not a bit of color on your wings.” “True,” replied the Crane; “but I soar to the heights of heaven and lift up my voice to the stars, while you walk below, like a cock, among the birds of the dunghill.”
Three Hundred Aesop's Fables, p. 56 · B2
He was dressed in a rich costume of pink silk and purple velvet, and my grandfather thought he would see what he could do.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, p. 99 · B2
There were milkmaids and shepherdesses, with brightly colored bodices and golden spots all over their gowns; and princesses with most gorgeous frocks of silver and gold and purple; and shepherds dressed in knee breeches with pink and yellow and blue stripes down them, and golden buckles on their shoes; and princes with jeweled crowns upon their heads, wearing ermine robes and satin doublets; and funny clowns in ruffled gowns, with round red spots upon their cheeks and tall, pointed caps.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, p. 129 · B2

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Words, meanings, pronunciations and translations from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0); how common each word is from wordfreq. Made into this dictionary by FluentPlex.