Quick Definition
πορφυροῦς, ᾶ, οῦν Adj purple
Strong's Definition
from 4209; purpureal, i.e. bluish red
KJV Usage: purple
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
adjc. | -ᾶ, -οῦν | πορφύρα
79.38 · Features of Objects · Color
purple the color purple; has the symbolic value of royal status) In JHN 19:2 the use of πορφυροῦς may refer more to the symbolic value of the color than to the color itself. Therefore, it may be important to include some marginal note indicating the significance of the color.
6.169 · (πορφυροῦν (οῦ n)) · 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.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
πορφύρεος, -a, -ov, in Attic and in the N. T. contr. -ovs, -a, -ovv, (πορφύρα, fr. Hom. down, purple, dyed in purple, made of a purple fabric: Jn. xix. 2,5; πορφυροῦν se. ἔνδυμα ([Β. 82 (72)]; οἵ. W. p. 591 (550)), Rev. xvii. 4 [GLT Tr WH]; xviii. 16:5
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
πορφυροῦς porphyrous 4x
contracted form is πορφύρεος, purple, Jn. 19:2, 5; purple clothing, Rev. 17:4; 18:16*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
πορφύρεος, -α, -ον, contr., -οῦς, -ᾶ, -οῦν
(< πορφύρα), [in LXX for אַרְגָּמָן;]
purple: Jo 19:2, 5; as subst., πορφυροῦν (sc. ἱμάτιον), Re 17:4 18:6.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
πορφύρεος, ‘dyed purple”: P Ryl 11. 15115 (a.p. 40) χιτῶνα πορφυροῦν, P Oxy III. 53114 (ii/A.D.) τὰ ἱμάτια τὰ λευκὰ τὰ δυ[ϊν]άμενα μετὰ τῶν πορφυρῶν φορεῖσθαι φαινολίων, “the white robes which are to be worn with the purple cloaks” (Edd.). For the form πόρφυρος, hitherto regarded as poetic (1,55), cf. P Ryl II. 242° (iii/a.p.) els τὸ φόρφυρεν (Δ πόρφυρον) [.] . . . ἱμάτιν pov αὐτὸ πωλῶ, ‘I am selling it for my purple cloak” (Edd.); for πορφύριον used as a subst. cf. P Oxy III. 520! (a.p. 143) πορφυρίο(υ) στατή(= IIL. p. 208) τὸ πορφύριόν σοι ἔπεμψα : and for πορφύριν as a vulyar form (see Mayser Gr. p. 260) of πορφύριον cf. P Tand 9% (ii/A.D.) σοῦ τὸ πορφύρ[ιν ἐπὶ σε ἀ]νέ[πεμψα. For the adj. πορφυρικός see P Tebt I. 881 (c. B.C. 201).
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
πορφύρεος (porphureos) — purple. πορφύρ-εος, η, ον, Attic dialect πορφῠροῦς, ᾶ, οῦν, Aeolic dialect πορφύριος [Refs 7th c.BC+]; -ύριος also in [Refs 1st c.BC+]:
I. in [Refs 8th c.BC+]
I.1. of the sea (compare πορφύρω), heaving, surging, [χαράδραι] ἐς.. ἅλα πορφυρέην μεγάλα στενάχουσι ὁέουσαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; θάλασσα Alc. [prev. cited]
I.2. of blood, gushing, αἵματι δὲ χθὼν δεύετο π. [Refs 8th c.BC+]; so, π. θάνατος onrushing death, of death in battle, [Refs 5th c.AD+]
I.3. of the rainbow, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; perhaps lurid.
II. purple, of stuff, cloths, etc., π. φᾶρος [Refs 8th c.BC+]; σπάργανα, πτερά, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; χλανίς, χιτών, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. of human complexion, bright-red, rosy, flushing, π. Ἀφροδίτη [Refs 6th c.BC+]; χείλη [Refs]
II.3. purple-clad, in purple, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.4. neuter plural πορφυρᾶ purple colour or purple spots, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.5. πορφυροῦν (i.e. ἄνθος), τό, Woodfordia floribunda (an Indian shrub), [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.6. adverb -ῶς, στύφειν mordant for purple, [Refs]