| 1. | Also called Tyrian dye. a highly prized crimson or purple dye of classical antiquity, originally obtained at great expense from a certain shellfish: later shown to be an indigo derivative and synthetically produced, and now replaced by other synthetic dyes. |
| 2. | a vivid, purplish red. |
Tyr·i·an purple  (tĭr'ē-ən)  n. A reddish dyestuff obtained from the bodies of certain mollusks of the genus Murex and highly prized in ancient times. [After Tyre.] |