Perse
/pɜːrs/noun
A dark bluish-purple color, especially in heraldry and historical descriptions.
Did you know?In medieval heraldry and literature, perse could describe a color between blue and purple, though its exact shade varied by context and period.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
persus
“Dark blue or bluish-purple; the precise earlier source is uncertain.”
Old French
Old French
pers
“Blue, dark blue, or bluish-purple.”
13th–14th Century
Anglo-French
pers
“A heraldic or descriptive term for a deep blue color.”
14th Century
Middle English
perse
“Dark blue, blue-purple, or a dark-colored fabric.”
Modern English
English
perse
“A rare or historical term for dark bluish-purple, particularly in heraldry.”
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