Tyrian purple

American  

noun

1. Also called Tyrian dye.  a highly prized crimson or purple dye of classical antiquity, originally obtained at great expense from a certain shellfish: later shown to be an indigo derivative and synthetically produced, and now replaced by other synthetic dyes.

2. a vivid, purplish red.

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Tyrian purple British  

noun

1. a deep purple dye obtained from molluscs of the genus Murex and highly prized in antiquity

2. 1. a vivid purplish-red colour

   2. Sometimes shortened to: Tyrian.  ( as adjective )

      a Tyrian-purple robe

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Etymology

Origin of Tyrian purple

First recorded in 1575–85

Example Sentences

The common name of the dyestuff, Tyrian purple, derives from the habitat of the mollusks, which the Phoenicians purportedly began harvesting in the 16th century B.C. in the city-state of Tyre in present-day Lebanon.

From New York Times • Mar. 5, 2024

Ancient Tyrian purple, named for the town of Tyre in what is now southern Lebanon, was also rose, bluish red or velvety black, she writes.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 19, 2023

Mouhamad Ghassen Nouira extracts the glands from murex snails to produce a dye known as Tyrian purple, at home in Tunis, Tunisia February 5, 2022.

From Reuters • Feb. 8, 2022

Murex mollusks are the only source of the ancient dye, documented by Pliny, known as Tyrian purple.

From Washington Post • Jul. 28, 2021

During the time of the Roman emperors, the Tyrian purple was valued so highly that a pound of cloth twice dipped was sold for about one hundred and fifty dollars.

From The Continental Monthly, Vol. 6, No 2, August, 1864 Devoted to Literature and National Policy by Various