πορφυροῦς
porphyroûs
G4210 attributive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Of the color purple; possessing or characterized by a purplish or violet-red hue. In broader contextual use, referring to materials, garments, or objects dyed with purple dye, especially garments made from expensive, prestigious purple cloth associated with nobility or prestige in Greco-Roman society. The term can also function attributively to indicate luxury or high status.
Semantic Range
having a purple color, made of purple-dyed material, wearing purple garments, indicative of luxury or high status
Root / Etymology
Adjective form derived from πορφύρα (porphýra), referring to the purple dye or the murex shell from which it was extracted. The root πορφυρ- is associated with both the color purple and the dyeing process.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term πορφυροῦς appears in Greek literature from the classical period onward, always associated with the distinctive purple color produced from the murex mollusk. In Greco-Roman society, purple was highly valued, connoting wealth, status, and sometimes authority, as purple-dyed garments were restricted by sumptuary laws to elite classes. In both the Septuagint and New Testament, πορφυροῦς is notably linked to luxury and status—e.g., the purple robes of prominent or wealthy figures (such as in Luke 16:19), but without the later medieval linkage of purple to Christian ecclesiastical offices. The translation "purple" in English Bibles captures the color reference but may obscure the social or economic connotations prevalent in Koine usage. The word is an adjective, distinct from πορφύρα (the noun for the dye or shell). Related terms include βύσσος (byssus, fine linen) and λινός (linen), which also signify prized textiles, but πορφυροῦς is color- and dye-specific.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from πορφύρα; purpureal, i.e. bluish red:--purple.
Root Family
πορφυρ- (porphyroûs) — purple-colored, dyed with purple, having a purplish hue
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4210-01 |
πορφυροῦν | porphuroun | ADJ.A ACC N SG |
purple | purple-dyed thing | purple-dyed thing | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4210-01 |
John 19:2 | πορφυροῦν | porphuroun | ADJ.A ACC N SG |
purple | purple-dyed thing | purple-dyed |
G4210-01 |
John 19:5 | πορφυροῦν | porphuroun | ADJ.A ACC N SG |
purple | purple-dyed thing | purple garment |
G4210-01 |
Revelation 17:4 | πορφυροῦν | porphuroun | ADJ.S ACC N SG |
purple | purple-dyed thing | purple-dyed thing |
G4210-01 |
Revelation 18:16 | πορφυροῦν | porphuroun | ADJ.S ACC N SG |
purple | purple-dyed thing | purple-dyed thing |