Purple Heart
noun
a medal awarded for wounds received in action against an enemy or as a direct result of an act of the enemy.
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Purple Heart
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purple heart
purple heartnounany of several tropical American leguminous trees of the genus Peltogyne
Purple Heart
Americannoun
U.S. Armed Forces.
purple heart
1
British
noun
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any of several tropical American leguminous trees of the genus Peltogyne
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the decorative purple heartwood of any of these trees
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informal a heart-shaped purple tablet consisting mainly of amphetamine
Purple Heart
2
British
noun
Etymology
Origin of Purple Heart
An Americanism dating back to 1930–35
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
As a marine, Mueller earned a Bronze Star for valor and a Purple Heart for wounds received in combat.
From Barron's ● Mar. 21, 2026
After a grenade almost killed him in Normandy, he earned a Purple Heart and then sang in the jazz clubs of Paris.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 5, 2026
Army and Navy veteran awarded a Purple Heart, Stern founded Grey Bull in 2021, leading private evacuation missions in war zones from Afghanistan to Gaza.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 12, 2025
Several veterans groups separately filed a brief supporting the order: The Vietnam Veterans of America California State Council and four VVA chapters, the Amvets Department of California and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 28, 2025
While Allen was recovering in the field hospital, his platoon leader came in to award him a Purple Heart.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
He was awarded the purple heart and is buried in the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer in Normandy.
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2024
Spice, born Isis Naija Gaston, quote tweeted in response, saying, “sweetest person ever thank u sm i love yuuuu,” punctuated with a heart-eye emoji, purple heart emoji and heart-hands emoji.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2023
Four were red and the fifth had a small purple heart bordered by silver varnish.
From Reuters ● Feb. 22, 2023
He also wrote, “Heart just turned purple” with a purple heart emoji.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 1, 2022
The big purple heart with pink lace all over it.
From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
