Tyrian purple
noun
Tyr·i·an purple
ˈtir-ē-ən- 
: a crimson or purple dye that is related to indigo, was obtained by the ancient Greeks and Romans from gastropod mollusks, and is now made synthetically
Examples of Tyrian purple in a Sentence
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The first suggests that when the Byzantine Empire fell, the Catholic Church – whose cardinals wore garments dyed with Tyrian purple – lost access to its large dye factories and were forced to transition to cheaper red garments, thus diminishing demand for the dye.
—
Krista Stevens, Longreads, 5 Dec. 2024
A long time ago Ancient Greeks and the Romans considered Tyrian purple, first developed in the Bronze Age, an elite, royal color.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 29 June 2024
In this workshop, ancient Greeks produced the vibrant pigment known as Mycenaean purple—or, as the Romans called it, Tyrian purple.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 June 2024
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.
—Franz Lidz, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024
Despite the equal access, to this day many countries around the world still associate the Phoenicians’ Tyrian purple with royalty, wealth, and splendor.
—Mark Woolmer, National Geographic, 24 Sep. 2020
The city of Tyre flourished for much of the first millennium B.C., thanks in part to the lucrative trade in Tyrian purple.
—Mark Woolmer, National Geographic, 24 Sep. 2020
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Krista Stevens, Longreads, 5 Dec. 2024
A long time ago Ancient Greeks and the Romans considered Tyrian purple, first developed in the Bronze Age, an elite, royal color.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 29 June 2024
In this workshop, ancient Greeks produced the vibrant pigment known as Mycenaean purple—or, as the Romans called it, Tyrian purple.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 June 2024
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.
—Franz Lidz, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024
Despite the equal access, to this day many countries around the world still associate the Phoenicians’ Tyrian purple with royalty, wealth, and splendor.
—Mark Woolmer, National Geographic, 24 Sep. 2020
The city of Tyre flourished for much of the first millennium B.C., thanks in part to the lucrative trade in Tyrian purple.
—Mark Woolmer, National Geographic, 24 Sep. 2020
Dictionary Entries Near Tyrian purple
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“Tyrian purple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Tyrian%20purple. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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