purpleheart

1 of 2

noun (1)

pur·​ple·​heart ˈpər-pəl-ˌhärt How to pronounce purpleheart (audio)
: a strong durable purplish wood that is obtained from various leguminous trees (genus Peltogyne) of Central and South America
also : a tree producing such wood

Purple Heart

2 of 2

noun (2)

: a U.S. military decoration awarded to any member of the armed forces wounded or killed in action

Examples of purpleheart in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Some of my favorite get-loud strikers include purpleheart, hickory, and birch. Jace Bauserman, Outdoor Life, 4 Mar. 2020 Neil Sperry Mixed perennials were chosen for seasons of color (purpleheart, yarrow, cannas and others). Neil Sperry, star-telegram, 1 May 2017
Noun
Broken down vehicle on Purple Heart Trail in Mission There is a broken down vehicle on Purple Heart Trail between Lamar Avenue exit 232A and I-35 North. Kansas City Star Bot, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2025 Frye was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, American Defense Service Medal and the Bronze Star Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, as the Fayetteville Observer’s Rachael Riley reports. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for purpleheart

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1738, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1932, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of purpleheart was in 1738

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Cite this Entry

“Purpleheart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purpleheart. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

Purple Heart

noun
: a U.S. military decoration awarded to any member of the armed forces wounded or killed in action
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