any of several tropical American leguminous trees of the genus Peltogyne
the decorative purple heartwood of any of these trees
informal a heart-shaped purple tablet consisting mainly of amphetamine
An Americanism dating back to 1930–35
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Army combat veteran and a Purple Heart recipient.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
He joined the Marines and led a rifle platoon of the Third Marine Division in Vietnam, where he received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 21, 2026
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
He entered the Army’s 101st Airborne Division and earned a Purple Heart as one of the paratroopers who, at age 20, dropped into German-occupied France on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2025
A new uniform was a CO’s Purple Heart.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
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
Lynch also has welcomed a group of decorated veterans, including five purple heart recipients, when the 49ers played in Washington.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 12, 2021
Its surface is lined with hot-pink construction paper, covered in blue and purple heart stickers.
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
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.
