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 Zool., the European purple gallinule. See under Gallinule.
 Purple copper ore. Min. See Bornite.
 Purple grackle Zool., the crow blackbird. See under Crow.
 Purple martin. See under Martin.
 Purple sandpiper. See under Sandpiper.
 Purple shell. See Ianthina.


 I·an·thi·na n.; pl. L. Ianthinæ E. Ianthinas   Zool. Any gastropod of the genus Ianthina, of which various species are found living in mid ocean; -- called also purple shell, and violet snail. [Written also janthina.]
 Note: ☞ It floats at the surface by means of a raft, which it constructs by forming and uniting together air bubbles of hardened mucus. The Tyrian purple of the ancients was obtained in part from mollusks of this genus.

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