Where does “purple” come from?
Purple comes from Middle English purpel, from Latin purpura, from Ancient Greek πορφύρα, originally denoting the purple dye derived from murex shellfish.
purple (English): A colour/color that is a dark blend of red and...
Definitions
- A colour/color that is a dark blend of red and...
Ancestry of “purple”, step by step
purple traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English purpul
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | purpul | purple |
| 2 | Old English | purpure | a purple garment or material |
| 3 | Latin | purpura | the purple-fish, a species of shellfish or... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | πορφύρα | purple-fish; a purple dye obtained from it;... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | πορφύρω | to surge up; to redden |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰrewh₁- | to boil; to brew |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰer- | to bear, carry |
via Middle English purple
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | purple | Alternative form of purpel |