Purple

Purple is a color that is made of two primary colors, blue and red.

This box shows the color purple.

The first written use of purple as a color name in English was in 975.

Meaning of purple

Purple is associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery and magic. Purple is a very rare color in nature, though the lavender flower and catmint are two examples.
Tyrian Purple is used to represent royalty. It is a sign of power, nobility, luxury, and ambition. It shows wealth and extravagance. It is thought as a royal color because in Roman times, there was only one way to make the color purple, which the Romans called purpura.
They used one or two species of the gastropod Murex, which produced the dye in a gland. These tiny shellfish lived in the Mediterranean Sea. Each snail produced only tiny amounts, so it was very expensive. Therefore, purple was only worn by the rich and famous. The richest and most famous people were the Roman emperors, so they were able to wear the most purple. Roman sumptuary laws forbade plebeians to wear it.
Light purple, called lavender (color) is often used for a feminine design. It creates feelings of romance. Bright purple can be used when promoting children's things.
Dark purple may create sad feelings. It can cause frustration.
Pink purple, it is associated with eroticism and femininity.
In some US states, purple paint on trees or fences means no trespassing or no hunting.

Comparison of blue, indigo, violet and purple

Name	HEX Code	Red	Blue	Hue	Sat	Lum
Blue	#0000FF	0	255	240°	100%	50%
Indigo (Electric Indigo)	#3F00FF	63	255	255°	100%	50%
Violet (Color Wheel) (Near Violet)	#7F00FF	127	255	270°	100%	50%
Violet (Electric Violet) (Middle Violet) (Blue Purple)	#8F00FF	143	255	274°	100%	50%
Vivid Violet (Extreme Violet)	#9F00FF	159	255	277°	100%	50%
Purple	#BF00FF	191	255	285°	100%	50%

Comparison of purple, magenta, rose and red

Name	HEX Code	Red	Blue	Hue	Sat	Lum
Purple	#BF00FF	191	255	285°	100%	50%
Magenta	#FF00FF	255	255	300°	100%	50%
Magenta Rose	#FF00AF	255	175	319°	100%	50%
Rose	#7F00FF	255	127	330°	100%	50%
Red	#FF0000	255	0	0°	100%	50%

Tones of purple color comparison chart

Lavender Blush (web color) (Hex: #FFF0F5) (RGB: 255, 240, 245)
Purple Mist (Pale Purple) (Pantone TPX 12-2103) (Hex: #FAE6FA) (RGB: 250, 230, 250)
Lavender Mist (web color Lavender) (Hex: #E6E6FA) (RGB: 230, 230, 250)
Almost Mauve (Pantone TPX 12-2103) (Hex: #EBE1DF) (RGB: 235, 225, 223)
Mauve Morn (Pantone TPX 12-2102) (Hex: #EBDBDB) (RGB: 235, 219, 219)
Mauve Chalk (Pantone TPX 12-2902) (Hex: #E4D3D2) (RGB: 228, 211, 210)
Pale Lilac (Light Mauve) (Hex: #DCD0FF) (RGB: 220, 208, 255)
Mauvette (Plochere) (Mauve Pink) (Light Mulberry) (Hex: #E8CCD7) (RGB: 232, 204, 215)
Deep Mauve Pink (Hex: #E4BEEB) (RGB: 228, 190, 235)
Mauve (Maerz & Paul) (Hex: #E0B0FF) (RGB: 224, 176, 255)
Thistle (HTML/CSS web color: Light Purple) (Hex: #D8BFD8) (RGB: 216, 191, 216)
Lilac (Hex: #C8A2C8) (RGB: 200, 162, 200)
Kobi (Xona.com color list) (Light Aubergine) (Hex: #C79FC4) (RGB: 231, 159, 196)
Light Orchid (Crayola Orchid) (Hex: #E29CD2) (RGB: 226, 156, 210)
Pale Plum (web color Plum) (Medium Lavender Magenta) (Hex: #DDA0DD) (RGB: 221, 160, 221)
Lavender Magenta (web color "violet") (Hex: #EE82EE) (RGB: 238, 130, 238)
Orchid (web color) (Hex: #DA70D6) (RGB: 218, 112, 240) (CMYK: 0,49,2,15)
Heliotrope (Maerz & Paul) (Hex: #DF73FF) (RGB: 223, 115, 255)
French Mauve (Deep Mauve) (Mauve (Pourpre.com)) (Hex: #D473D4) (RGB: 212, 115, 212)
Opera Mauve (ISCC-NBS) (Hex: #CA82AF) (RGB: 202, 130, 175)
Light Veronica (Xona.com color list "[X11] Purple Light") (Hex:D46FF9) (RGB: 212,111, 249)
Psychedelic Purple (Phlox (Maerz & Paul)) (Hex: #DF00FF) (RGB: 223, 0, 255)
Vivid Orchid (Hex: #CC00FF) (RGB: 204, 0, 255)
Neon Purple (Hex: #BC13FE) (RGB: 188, 19, 254)
Hot Purple (Hex: #CB00F5) (RGB: 203, 0, 245)
Electric Purple (True Purple) (Maerz & Paul) (Hex: #BF00FF) (RGB: 191, 0, 255)
Pontiff (Pontiff Purple) (Hex: #AF00FF) (RGB: 175, 0, 255)
Paars (Dutch Purple) (Hex: #AA00FF) (RGB: 170, 0, 255)
Veronica (Maerz & Paul) (X11 web color Purple) (Hex: #A020F0) (RGB: 160, 92, 240)
Purple (Munsell) (Munsell 5P) (Hex: #9F00C5) (RGB: 159, 0, 197)
Dark Orchid (web color) (Hex: #9932CC) (RGB: 153, 50, 204)
Deep Purple (Hex: #8B00CC) (RGB: 139, 0, 204)
Deep Indigo (web color Blue-Violet) (Hex: #8A2BE2) (RGB: 138, 43, 226)
Lavender Indigo (Hex: #9457EB) (RGB: 148, 87, 235)
Vanda Purple (Hex: #9842E3) (RGB: 152, 66, 227)
Internet Purple (color of "all purple website" www.purple.com) (Hex: #7D26CD) (RGB: 125, 38, 205)
Royal Purple (Crayola) (Hex: #7851A9) (RGB: 120, 91, 169)
Purple Heart (Crayola) (Hex: #652DC1) (RGB: 101, 45, 93)
Prince Fan Purple (lettering on Prince fan website Prince.org) (Hex: #6600B7) (RGB: 102, 0, 187)
Generic Purple (www.web-site-tools.com/s/660099.htm) (Hex: #660099) (RGB: 102, 0, 153)
Purple Reign (Pantone TPX 19-3620) (Hex: 54446C) (RGB: 84, 68, 108)
Purple Rain (color of lettering on Prince's album Purple Rain) (Hex: #4B308D) (RGB: 75, 48, 141)
Vulgar Purple (Grape Jelly) (Hex: #3E2F84) (RGB: 62, 47, 132)
Regalia (Hex: #522d80) (RGB: 82, 45, 128)
Pigment Indigo (web color Indigo) (Hex: #4B0082) (RGB: 75, 0, 130)
Dark Indigo (Hex: #310062) (RGB: 49, 0, 98)
Persian Indigo (Regimental (Maerz & Paul)) (Hex: #32127A) (RGB: 50, 18, 122)
Ultramarine (pigment) (Hex: #120A8F) (RGB: 18, 10, 143)
Persian Blue (Maerz & Paul) (Hex: #1C39BB) (RGB: 28, 57, 187)
Electric Ultramarine (Ultramarine (Maerz & Paul)) (Hex: #3F00FF) (RGB: 63, 0, 255)
Han Purple (Hex: #5218FA) (RGB: 82, 24, 250)
Westminster (Maerz & Paul) (Hex: #5F00FF) (RGB: 95, 0, 255)
Indigo (Electric Indigo) (Hex: #6600FF) (RGB: 102, 0, 255)
Pansy (Heartsease) (Maerz & Paul) (Hex: #7700FF) (RGB: 119, 0, 255)
Violet (Electric Violet) (Blue Purple) (Hex: #8B00FF) (RGB: 139, 0, 255)
Pigment Violet (web color Dark Violet) (Hex: #9400D3) (RGB: 148, 0, 211)
Lavender (Floral Lavender) (Maerz & Paul) (Hex: #B57EDC) (RGB: 181,126,220)
Purple Mountain Majesty (Crayola) (Lavender Purple) (Hex: #9678B6) (RGB: 150, 120, 182)
Purple Gray (Hex: #8F598F) (RGB: 143, 89, 143)
Violet Purple (Crayola) (Hex: #926EAE) (RGB: 146, 110, 174)
Purple Yam (Ube) (Hex: #8878C3) (RGB: 136, 120, 195)
French Lavender (Lavender (Pourpre.com) (Hex: #9683EC) (RGB: 150, 131, 236)
Medium Purple (web color) (Deep Lavender) (Hex: #9370DB) (RGB: 147, 112, 219)
Amethyst (Maerz & Paul) (Hex: #9966CC) (RGB: 153, 102, 204)
Deep Lilac (German Lilac) (Hex: #9955BB) (RGB: 153, 85, 187)
Purpureus (Purpura) (ISCC-NBS) (Hex: #9A4EAE) (RGB: 154, 78, 174)
Chinese Purple (Hex: #A757AB) (RGB: 167, 87, 171)
Meadow Mauve (Pantone TPX 18-3230) (Hex: #A55790) (RGB: 165, 87, 144)
Violet Eggplant (Chinese Eggplant) (Hex: #991199) (RGB: 153, 17, 153)
Striking Purple (Pantone TPX 18-3025) (Hex: #98508E) (RGB: 152, 80, 142)
Purple Orchid (Pantone TPX 18-3027) (Hex: #AE4F93) (RGB: 174, 79, 107)
Purple (Pantone) (Hex: #B634BB) (RGB: 182, 52, 187)
Medium Orchid (web color) (Hex: #BA55D3) (RGB: 183, 85, 211)
Deep Fuchsia (Fuchsia (Crayola)) (Hex: #C154C1) (RGB: 193, 84, 193)
Steel Pink (Crayola Ultra colored pencils) (Hex: #CC33CC) (RGB: 204, 51, 204)
Rich Mauve (French Mauve) (Mauve (Pourpre.com)) (Hex: #473D4) (RGB: 212, 115, 212)
Opera Mauve (ISCC-NBS) (Hex: #CA82AF) (RGB: 202, 130, 175)
Mauve Taupe (ISCC-NBS) (Hex: #AF868E) (RGB: 175, 134, 142)
Medium Vanda (Vanda (ISCC-NBS)) (Lavender Brown) (Hex: #AA8A9E) (RGB: 170, 138, 158)
Pale Red-Violet (web color Pale Violet Red) (Hex: #DB7093) (RGB: 219, 112, 147)
Fandango Pink (Pantone TPX 17-2033) (Hex: #DE5285) (RGB: 222, 82, 133)
Cabaret Purple (Xona.com color list) (Hex: #D94972) (RGB: 217, 73, 114)
Red-Purple (Gallego & Sanz) (Hex: #E40078) (RGB: 228, 0, 120)
Fuchsia Purple (Pantone TPX 18-2436) (Hex: #CC397B) (RGB: 204, 57, 123)
Royal Fuchsia (Hex: #CA2C92) (RGB: 202, 44, 146)
Byzantine (Maerz & Paul) (Hex:BD33A4) (RGB: 189, 51, 164)
Fandango (Maerz & Paul) (Hex: #B53389) (RGB: 181, 51, 137)
Medium Red-Violet (Red-Violet (Crayola)) (Hex: #BB3385) (RGB: 187, 51, 133)
Red-Violet (web color Medium Violet Red) (Hex: #C71585) (RGB: 199, 21, 133)
Mulberry (Crayola) (Hex: #C54B8C) (RGB: 197, 75, 140)
Hibiscus Purple (Xona.com color list) (Hex: #B6316C) (RGB: 182, 49, 108)
Tyrian Red (Porpora (Fantetti & Petracchi)) (Hex: #B21B1C) (RGB: 178, 27, 28)
Bright Tyrian Purple (Pourpre (Pourpre.com [Pre-2010])) (Hex: #B80049) (RGB: 184, 0, 73)
Rich Tyrian Purple (Pourpre (Pourpre.com)) (Hex: #9E0E40) (RGB: 158, 14, 64)
Medium Tyrian Purple (Tyrian Purple (American Azalea Society))(Hex: #990024) (RGB: 97, 64, 81)
Amaranth Purple (Maerz & Paul) (Hex: #AB274F) (RGB: 171, 39, 79)
Night Shadz (Xona.com color list) (Hex: #AA375A) (RGB: 170, 55, 90)
Jazzberry Jam (Crayola) (Hex: #A50B5E) (RGB: 165, 11, 94)
Royal Heath (Xona.com color list) (Hex: #AB3472) (RGB: 171, 52, 114)
Fuchsia Red (Pantone TPX 18-2328) (Hex: #B33A7F) (RGB: 179, 58, 127)
Violine (Wallflower) (Hex: #A10684) (RGB: 161, 6, 132)
Traffic Purple (RAL 4006) (Purple Grey) (Hex: #A03472) (RGB: 160, 52, 114)
Amaranth Deep Purple (Amaranth (Maerz & Paul)) (Hex: #9F2B68) (RGB: 159, 43, 104)
Red-Violet Eggplant (Hex: #990066) (RGB: 153, 0, 102)
Medium Mauve (Vietnamese Mauve) (Hex: #993366) (RGB: 153, 51, 102)
Disco (Xona.com color list) (Hex: #871550) (RGB: 135, 21, 80)
Boysenberry (Pantone TPX 19-2431) (Hex: #873260) (RGB: 135, 50, 96)
Purple Wine (Pantone TPX 18-2929) (Hex: #8E3975) (RGB: 143, 57, 117)
Plum (Crayola) (Plum (traditional)) (Hex: #843179) (RGB: 132, 49, 121)
Mardi Gras (Xona.com color list Mardi Gras Light) (Hex: #880085) (RGB: 136, 0, 137)
Purple (HTML/CSS web color Purple) (Patriarch (Maerz & Paul)) (Hex: #800080) (RGB: 128, 0, 128)
Spanish Purple (Purpura (Gallego & Sanz)) (Hex: #7D2181) (RGB: 125, 33, 129)
Byzantium (ISCC-NBS) (Hex: #702963) (RGB: 112, 41, 99)
Imperial (ISCC-NBS) (Hex: 602F6B) (RGB: 96, 47, 107)
Purple Magic (Pantone TPX 19-3540) (Hex: #693B71) (RGB: 105, 59, 113)
Purple Passion (Pantone TPX 19-3223) (Hex: #682860) (RGB: 104, 40, 96)
Palatinate Purple (Hex: #682860) (RGB: 104, 40, 96)
Tokyo Purple (Japanese Imperial Purple) (Hex: #5A004A) (RGB: 90, 0, 74)
Halaya Ube (Purple Yam Jam) (Hex: #663854) (RGB: 102, 56, 84)
Pansy Purple (ISCC-NBS) (Hex: #78184A) (RGB: 120, 24, 74)
Nightclub Purple (Xona.com color list) (Dark Mulberry) (Hex: #660045) (RGB: 102, 0, 69)
Tyrian Purple (www.99colors.net) (Imperial Purple) (Hex: #66023C) (RGB: 102, 2, 60)
Cosmic Purple (Xona.com color list) (Hex: #763950) (RGB: 118, 57, 93)
Persian Plum (Xona.com color list) (Prune) (Hex: #701C1C) (RGB: 112, 28, 28)
Old Mauve (ISCC-NBS) (Hex: #673147) (RGB: 103, 49, 71)
Eggplant (Crayola) (Aubergine) (Hex: #664051) (RGB: 97, 64, 81)
Dark Byzantium (ISCC-NBS) (Hex: #5D3954) (RGB: 93, 57, 84)
Blackberry (Xona.com color list) (Dark Aubergine) (Hex: #4D0135) (RGB: 77, 1, 53)
Deep Tyrian Purple (Purpura de Tiro Claro (Gallego & Sanz)) (Hex: #4E0041) (RGB: 78, 0, 65)
Japanese Purple (Purple (Japanese traditional colors)) (Hex: #4F284B) (RGB: 79, 40, 75)
Purple Taupe (www.99colors.net) (Hex: #50404D) (RGB: 80, 64, 77)
Dark Mardi Gras (Xona.com color list Mardi Gras) (Hex350036) (RGB: 53, 0, 54)
Dark Tyrian Purple (Purpura de Tiro (Gallego & Sanz)) (Hex: #360029) (RGB: 54, 0, 41)
Dark Purple (Red Grape) (ISCC-NBS) (Hex: #301934) (RGB: 48, 25, 52)

Tones of Tyrian purple

These Tyrian purple colors, all of which are also shown in the color chart above, show the original purple of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. The color imperial shown below was made by mixing Tyrian purple with indigo dye.

Bright Tyrian Purple (Pourpre (Pourpre.com [Pre-2010])) (Hex: #B80049) (RGB: 184, 0, 73)
Tyrian Red (Porpora (Fantetti & Petracchiref )) (Hex: #B21B1C) (RGB: 178, 27, 28)
Rich Tyrian Purple (Pourpre (Pourpre.com)) (Hex: #9E0E40) (RGB: 158, 14, 64)
Medium Tyrian Purple (Tyrian Purple (American Azalea Society)) (Hex: #990024) (RGB: 97, 64, 81)
Tyrian Purple (www.99colors.net) (Imperial Purple) (Hex: #66023C) (RGB: 102, 2, 60)
Deep Tyrian Purple (Purpura de Tiro Claro (Gallego & Sanz)) (Hex: #4E0041) (RGB: 78, 0, 65)
Dark Tyrian Purple (Purpura de Tiro (Gallego & Sanz)) (Hex: #360029) (RGB: 54, 0, 41)
Imperial (ISCC-NBS) (Hex: 602F6B) (RGB: 96, 47, 107)

Purple (web color)

Dark pinkish purple is a color.

This box shows the color purple.

Related pages

List of colors

References

↑ Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 202
↑ Interscience. Purple dyes made from shellfish in antiquity
↑ Marginal Revolution, Royal Purple
↑ Heller, Eva: Psychologie de la couleur – effets et symboliques, pp. 179-184
↑ Woodstream, Woodstream. "Purple Paint Law: Trespassing Rules & Regulations". www.zarebasystems.com. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
1 2 Fantetti, S. & Petracchi, C. Il dizionario dei colori: nomi e valori in quadricromia Zanichelli 2001 ISBN=8808079953

[1] Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930 McGraw-Hill Page 202

[2] Interscience. Purple dyes made from shellfish in antiquity

[3] Marginal Revolution, Royal Purple

[4] Heller, Eva: Psychologie de la couleur – effets et symboliques, pp. 179-184

[5] Woodstream, Woodstream. "Purple Paint Law: Trespassing Rules & Regulations". www.zarebasystems.com. Retrieved 2026-01-18.

[dizionario_dei_colori-6] 1 2 Fantetti, S. & Petracchi, C. Il dizionario dei colori: nomi e valori in quadricromia Zanichelli 2001 ISBN=8808079953