born to the purple

adjective

Born and raised in a royal family.

“Near-synonyms: to the manor born, born with a silver spoon in one's mouth”

Similar
to the manor bornborn with a silver spoon in one's mouth
OriginAncient Greek πορφυρογέννητος →
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Meanings

adjectiveborn to the purple (not comparable)

alternative born in the purple

  1. not comparableBorn and raised in a royal family.

    No one had had any experience of an emperor like Commodus, a Caesar born to the purple.

    1999, Anthony Richard Birley, Septimius Severus: the African emperor, page 57
  2. broadlynot comparableOf children, born of prominent or high-ranking parents.

    Near-synonyms: to the manor born, born with a silver spoon in one's mouth

    Synonyms: to the manor born, born with a silver spoon in one's mouth

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveOf children, born of prominent or high-ranking parents.

Similar
to the manor bornborn with a silver spoon in one's mouth
Also see
born with a silver spoon in one's mouthto the manor bornwell-born

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekπορφυρογέννητος
  2. Englishborn to the purple

Calque of Ancient Greek πορφυρογέννητος (porphurogénnētos); purple was a luxury color reserved for the Byzantine imperial family. In other kingdoms as well, purple has been traditionally associated with royalty; in some times and places this was because vibrant purple dyes were expensive.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Hungarian bíborban született
  • bíborban születettborn and raised in a royal family
Cite this entry
APA

born to the purple. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/born%20to%20the%20purple

MLA

“born to the purple.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/born%20to%20the%20purple. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “born to the purple,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/born%20to%20the%20purple.

Source: born to the purple on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.