Meanings
nounpurple death (uncountable)
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSynonym of Spanish influenza.
Similar
Origin
From purple + death. From cyanosis due to difficulty breathing, which would turn the skin purple.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
purple death. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/purple%20death
MLA
“purple death.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/purple%20death. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “purple death,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/purple%20death.
Source: purple death on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.