purple passage

noun

Synonyms of purple passage next

: a passage conspicuous for brilliance or effectiveness in a work that is dull, commonplace, or uninspired

chiefly British : a piece of obtrusively ornate writing

called also purple patch

Examples of purple passage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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Writers inevitably fall in love with their more purple passages. —

Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

translation of Latin pannus purpureus purple patch; from the traditional splendor of purple cloth as contrasted with plainer materials

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of purple passage was in 1882

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Purple passage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purple%20passage. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

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