How to pronounce purple
Say it like PUR-pul. Purple has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce purple. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PUR
- pul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Purple pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- pulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of purple
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: PUR-pul.
What does purple mean?
- a purple color or pigment
- (in ancient Rome) position of imperial status“he was born to the purple”
- (Roman Catholic Church) official dress of a cardinal; so named after the Tyrial purple color of the robes
- of a color intermediate between red and blue
- excessively elaborate or showily expressed“a writer of empurpled literature”“many purple passages”
- belonging to or befitting a supreme ruler“golden age of imperial splendor”“purple tyrant”
- become purple
- color purple
Where does purple come from?
The sense of "imperial power" is from the wearing of the color purple by emperors and kings.
Questions about saying purple
How do you pronounce purple?
Say PUR-pul. The American pronunciation is /ˈpɝpəl/. In British English it is /ˈpɜːpəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in purple?
Purple has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PUR). Broken into parts: PUR · pul.
Is purple pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈpɜːpəl/ (PUR-pul).