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

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

One gram of natural Tyrian purple pigment, for instance, takes 120 pounds of sea snails to create, so paint companies make a mixed, artificial hue instead.

From Washington Post • Dec. 21, 2021

Dyes, such as indigo and Tyrian purple, were extracted from plant and animal matter.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

I remember, too, that the Babylonians thought "Tyrian purple" too sacred for the use of mortals, so they used it only in the dress of their idols.

From St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, Vol. V, August, 1878, No 10. Scribner's Illustrated by Various