Defn: Any shell of the genus Purpura.
7. pl.(Med.)
Defn: See Purpura.
8. pl.
Defn: A disease of wheat. Same as Earcockle.
Note: 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. French purple. (Chem.) Same as Cudbear. — Purple of Cassius. See Cassius. — Purple of mollusca (Zoöl.), a coloring matter derived from certain mollusks, which dyes wool, etc., of a purple or crimson color, and is supposed to be the substance of the famous Tyrian dye. It is obtained from Ianthina, and from several species of Purpura, and Murex. — To be born in the purple, to be of princely birth; to be highborn.
PURPLE
Pur"ple, a.
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.
2. Imperial; regal; — so called from the color having been an emblem of imperial authority. Hide in the dust thy purple pride. Shelley.
3. Blood-red; bloody.
May such purple tears be alway shed. Shak.
I view a field of blood, And Tiber rolling with a purple blood.
Dryden.
Purple bird (Zoöl.), the European purple gallinule. See under
Gallinule.
— Purple copper ore. (Min.) See Bornite.
— Purple grackle (Zoöl.), the crow blackbird. See under Crow.
— Purple martin. See under Martin.
— Purple sandpiper. See under Sandpiper.
— Purple shell. See Ianthina.