Quick Definition
πορφύρα, ας, ἡ n.f. a purple garment
Strong's Definition
of Latin origin; the "purple" mussel, i.e. (by implication) the red-blue color itself, and finally a garment dyed with it
KJV Usage: purple
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, f. | -ας | πορφυρόπωλις · πορφυροῦς
6.169 · Artifacts · Cloth, Leather, and Objects Made of Such Materials
scarlet cloth a reddish-purple cloth dyed with a substance obtained from the murex shellfish; expensive to produce; associated with wealth and royalty In a number of languages there is no special color term for reddish-purple, since the color in question is sometimes classified as a kind of blue and in other instances it is related to black. However, in all languages it is possible to be somewhat more precise about color terms by likening the color to that of a local flower or bird.
1 REV 18:12 From the context of REV 18:12 it is impossible to determine whether the referents of βύσσινον (6.167), σιρικόν (6.168), and πορφύρα (6.169) are cloth or garments made of linen, silk, and purple cloth respectively.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
πορφύρα, -as, ἥ, Sept. for }378; 1. the purpleJish, a species of shell-fish or mussel: [Aeschyl., Soph.], Isocr., Aristot., al.; add 1 Mace. iv. 23, on which see Grimm ; [cf. B. D. s. v. Colors 1}. 2. a fabric colored with the purple dye, a garment made from purple cloth, (so fr. Aeschyl. down): Mk. xv. 17, 20; Lk. xvi. 19; Rev. xvii. 4 Rec.; xviii. 12.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
πορφύρα porphyra 4x
purpura, murex, a species of shellfish that yielded the purple dye, highly esteemed by the ancients, its tint being a bright crimson; in NT a purple garment, robe of purple, Lk. 16:19; Rev. 18:12
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
πορφύρα, -ας, ἡ,
[in LXX for אַרְגָּמָן, אַרְגְּוָן;]
the purple-fish (cf. I Mac 4:23).
purple dye.
Later, = πορφυρίς, a purple garment: Mk 15:17, 20, Lk 16:19, Re 18:12.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
πορφύρα. For this common word = “‘ purple dye” it is sufficient to cite P Oxy IV. 739! (private account—c. A.D. 1) πορφύρας (δραχμαὶ) Κ, ‘purple, 20 dr.,” 26. VI. 9314 (ii/a.D.) τὴν ovyklay τῆς πορφύρας] ἔπεμψα, “1 have sent the ounce of purple,” and P Giss I. 4718 (time of Hadrian) τὸ ἡμιλεί[τρ]ιον τῆς πορφύρας ἀντὶ (δραχμῶν) of [(Spaxpav)] σνβ, ‘‘the half pound of purple for 252 instead of 264 drachmae”: see the editor’s note. ILopoipa is used of a “‘purple robe” in Aristeas 320, as in Mk 15}? a/., where however Souter (Zex. s.v.) understands ‘‘a red-coloured cloak,” such as common soldiers wore.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
πορφύρα (porphura) — purple cloth. πορφύρ-α [ῠ], Ionic dialect πορφύρ-η, ἡ, purple-fish, Murex trunculus and Purpura haemastoma, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. purple dye obtained from it, [Refs 7th c.BC+]; used as an application, βρέξαντες ἐν [τῷ νάρδῳ] τὴν π. ἐπιτιθέναι [Refs 4th c.AD+]
III. ={πορφυρίς} 1, [Refs 1st c.AD+]: in plural, cloths of purple, πορφύρας πατῶν [Refs 4th c.BC+]: collectively in singular, κωμῳδοῖς.. πορφύραν εἰσφέρων, ὥσπερ οἱ Μεγαρεῖς [Refs 4th c.BC+]
IV. purple stripe or other adornment of a garment, τῆς σκιᾶς τὴν π. πρῶτον ἐνυφαίνουσ᾽, εἶτα μετὰ τὴν π. τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν οὔτε λευκὸν οὔτε π. ἀλλ᾽ ὥσπερ αὐγὴ τῆς κρόκης κεκραμένη [Refs 4th c.BC+]; π. πλατεῖα, = Latin latus clavus, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; π. alone, [Refs]
V. metaphorically, σελήνη οὐρανοῦ π. [Refs 2nd c.AD+]