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:
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
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
A company called Purple Heart reportedly acted an an intermediary in the transfer.
From Barron's ● Nov. 24, 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
“It was here since, oh yes, the eighth of March. I guess it was late. You’re going to be sent home. This is your second Purple Heart, isn’t it?”
From "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers
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
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.
