Purple vs. Maroon — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 3, 2023
Purple is a color that combines red and blue hues, while maroon is a dark, brownish-red color. Purple is often associated with royalty, whereas maroon is seen as more earthy and rich.
Difference Between Purple and Maroon
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Purple is a secondary color created by mixing red and blue and can vary in shade from lavender to deep violet. Maroon, on the other hand, is a dark red color with a brownish tint, resulting from the addition of brown or black to red. While purple is vibrant and has cool undertones, maroon is deeper with a warmth to it.
Historically, purple has been associated with nobility, luxury, and sometimes spirituality. Maroon, however, often represents formality and solemnity and is commonly used in academic and ecclesiastical robes. Purple's prestige contrasts with maroon's more serious connotations.
In fashion, purple adds a pop of color and is considered bold and expressive. Maroon offers an understated elegance, frequently used in professional attire or for a sophisticated look. Purple stands out, whereas maroon blends with a range of colors for a subtle effect.
Regarding visibility, purple tends to stand out more in design and art due to its brightness, especially when paired with contrasting colors. Maroon is more subdued and is often used in designs that require a rich, yet muted tone. Purple catches the eye, while maroon adds depth.
In symbolism, purple is often used to denote creativity, imagination, and artistic qualities. Maroon symbolizes reliability, responsibility, and groundedness. Purple is the dreamer's color, while maroon reflects the down-to-earth achiever.
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Comparison Chart
Base Colors
Red and blue
Red with brown or black
Common Associations
Royalty, luxury, creativity
Formality, sophistication, earthiness
Undertones
Cool
Warm
Visual Impact
Bright and eye-catching
Subdued and rich
Symbolism
Imagination, spirituality, artistry
Responsibility, groundedness, reliability
Compare with Definitions
Purple
A color between blue and red on the spectrum
The sky at dusk was a beautiful shade of purple.
Maroon
Can describe deep autumnal shades
Leaves turned a rich maroon as fall settled in.
Purple
A symbol of creativity and imagination
Her purple dress reflected her vibrant personality.
Maroon
Maroon (US/UK mə-ROON, Australia mə-ROHN) is a brownish crimson color that takes its name from the French word marron, or chestnut. "Marron" is also one of the French translations for "brown".
Purple
Purple may refer to any of a variety of colors with hue between red and blue. However, the meaning of the color term purple differs even among native speakers of English, for example when comparing speakers from the United Kingdom with those from the United States )..
Maroon
Of a brownish-red colour
Ornate maroon and gold wallpaper
Purple
A colour intermediate between red and blue
The painting was mostly in shades of blue and purple
Maroon
A member of any of various communities in parts of the Caribbean who were originally descended from escaped slaves. In the 18th century Jamaican Maroons fought two wars against the British, both of which ended with treaties affirming the independence of the Maroons.
Purple
A crimson dye obtained from some molluscs, formerly used for fabric worn by an emperor or senior magistrate in ancient Rome or Byzantium.
Maroon
Leave (someone) trapped and alone in an inaccessible place, especially an island
A novel about schoolboys marooned on a desert island
Purple
Of a colour intermediate between red and blue
A faded purple T-shirt
Maroon
To put ashore on a deserted island or coast and intentionally abandon.
Purple
Make or become purple in colour
Edmund's cheeks purpled
The neon was purpling the horizon above the highway
Maroon
To abandon or isolate with little hope of ready rescue or escape
The travelers were marooned by the blizzard.
Purple
Any of a group of colors with a hue between that of violet and red.
Maroon
A fugitive black slave in the West Indies in the 1600s and 1700s.
Purple
Cloth of a color between violet and red, formerly worn as a symbol of royalty or high office.
Maroon
A descendant of such a slave.
Purple
Imperial power; high rank
Born to the purple.
Maroon
A person who is marooned, as on an island.
Purple
The rank or office of a cardinal.
Maroon
A dark reddish brown to dark purplish red.
Purple
The rank or office of a bishop.
Maroon
An escaped negro of the Caribbean and the Americas or a descendant of such a person.
Purple
Of the color purple.
Maroon
A castaway; a person who has been marooned.
Purple
Royal or imperial; regal.
Maroon
A rich dark red, somewhat brownish, color.
Purple
Elaborate and ornate
Purple prose.
Maroon
(nautical) A rocket-propelled firework or skyrocket, often one used as a signal (e.g. to summon the crew of a lifeboat or warn of an air raid).
Purple
To make or become purple.
Maroon
An idiot; a fool.
Purple
A color that is a dark blend of red and blue; dark magenta.
Maroon
Associated with Maroon culture, communities or peoples.
Purple
(colour theory) Any non-spectral colour on the line of purples on a colour chromaticity diagram or a colour wheel between violet and red.
Maroon
Of a maroon color
Purple
Cloth, or a garment, dyed a purple colour; especially, a purple robe, worn as an emblem of rank or authority; specifically, the purple robe or mantle worn by Ancient Roman emperors as the emblem of imperial dignity.
To put on the imperial purple
Maroon
To abandon in a remote, desolate place, as on a desert island.
Purple
(by extension) Imperial power, because the colour purple was worn by emperors and kings.
Maroon
In the West Indies and Guiana, a fugitive slave, or a free negro, living in the mountains.
Purple
Any of various species of mollusks from which Tyrian purple dye was obtained, especially the common dog whelk.
Maroon
A brownish or dull red of any description, esp. of a scarlet cast rather than approaching crimson or purple.
Purple
The purple haze cultivar of cannabis in the kush family, either pure or mixed with others, or by extension any variety of smoked marijuana.
Maroon
An explosive shell. See Marron, 3.
Purple
(medicine) Purpura.
Maroon
To put (a person) ashore on a desolate island or coast and leave him to his fate.
Purple
Earcockle, a disease of wheat.
Maroon
Having the color called maroon. See 4th Maroon.
Purple
Any of the species of large butterflies, usually marked with purple or blue, of the genus Basilarchia (formerly Limenitis).
The banded purple
Maroon
A person who is stranded (as on an island);
When the tide came in I was a maroon out there
Purple
A cardinalate.
Maroon
A dark purplish red to dark brownish red
Purple
Ellipsis of purple drank
Maroon
An exploding firework used as a warning signal
Purple
Having a colour/color that is a dark blend of red and blue.
Maroon
Leave stranded or isolated withe little hope og rescue;
The travellers were marooned
Purple
(US politics) Not predominantly red or blue, but having a mixture of Democrat and Republican support.
Purple state
Purple city
Maroon
Leave stranded on a desert island without resources;
The mutinous sailors were marooned on an island
Purple
(in Netherlands and Belgium) Mixed between social democrats and liberals.
Maroon
Dark brownish to purplish red
Purple
Imperial; regal.
Maroon
A dark brownish-red color
The maroon curtains gave the room a warm feel.
Purple
Blood-red; bloody.
Maroon
Used to describe the color of academic dress
Graduates wore maroon gowns at the ceremony.
Purple
(of language) Extravagantly ornate, like purple prose.
Maroon
In context, can mean to abandon or isolate
He was marooned on an uninhabited island.
Purple
Completed in the fastest time so far in a given session.
Maroon
Refers to a forceful ejection
The player was marooned from the game after the foul.
Purple
(intransitive) To turn purple in colour.
Purple
(transitive) To dye purple.
Purple
(transitive) To clothe in purple.
Purple
A color formed by, or resembling that formed by, a combination of the primary colors red and blue.
Arraying with reflected purple and goldThe clouds that on his western throne attend.
Purple
Cloth dyed a purple color, or a garment of such color; especially, a purple robe, worn as an emblem of rank or authority; specifically, the purple rode or mantle worn by Roman emperors as the emblem of imperial dignity; as, to put on the imperial purple.
Thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and purple, and scarlet.
Purple
Hence: Imperial sovereignty; royal rank, dignity, or favor; loosely and colloquially, any exalted station; great wealth.
Purple
A cardinalate. See Cardinal.
Purple
Any species of large butterflies, usually marked with purple or blue, of the genus Basilarchia (formerly Limenitis) as, the banded purple (Basilarchia arthemis). See Illust. under Ursula.
Purple
Any shell of the genus Purpura.
Purple
See Purpura.
Purple
A disease of wheat. Same as Earcockle.
Purple
Exhibiting or possessing the color called purple, much esteemed for its richness and beauty; of a deep red, or red and blue color; as, a purple robe.
Purple
Imperial; regal; - so called from the color having been an emblem of imperial authority.
Hide in the dust thy purple pride.
Purple
Blood-red; bloody.
May such purple tears be alway shed.
I view a field of blood,And Tiber rolling with a purple blood.
Purple
To make purple; to dye of purple or deep red color; as, hands purpled with blood.
When mornPurples the east.
Reclining soft in blissful bowers,Purpled sweet with springing flowers.
Purple
A chromatic color between red and blue
Purple
Of imperial status;
He was born to the purple
Purple
Become purple
Purple
Color purple
Purple
Of a color midway between red and blue
Purple
Excessively elaborate or showily expressed;
A writer of empurpled literature
Many purple passages
Speech embellished with classical quotations
An over-embellished story of the fish that got away
Purple
Belonging to or befitting a supreme ruler;
Golden age of imperial splendor
Purple tyrant
Regal attire
Treated with royal acclaim
The royal carriage of a stag's head
Purple
Often associated with royalty and luxury
The throne room was adorned with purple velvet.
Purple
Describes a bruise typically
After the fall, a purple bruise formed on his arm.
Purple
Informally, can refer to a rank of nobility
She was born a purple, with a lineage of kings and queens.
Common Curiosities
What two colors make purple?
Red and blue mixed together make purple.
What does wearing maroon signify?
Wearing maroon can signify sophistication, earthiness, and sometimes formality.
Is purple a warm or cool color?
Purple is generally considered a cool color due to its blue undertones.
Can purple and maroon be used together in design?
Yes, purple and maroon can be used together, especially for a rich, deep color palette.
Are there any sports teams that use maroon as their color?
Yes, teams like the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL have maroon in their colors.
What gemstone is commonly purple?
Amethyst is a gemstone that is commonly purple.
Are there any flags that feature purple?
The flag of Dominica features purple, among other colors.
What colors do you combine to get maroon?
Maroon is made by adding brown to red, sometimes with a touch of black.
Is maroon a popular car color?
Maroon is a classic car color, popular for its rich, deep tones.
What is the psychological effect of the color maroon?
Maroon can evoke feelings of comfort, warmth, and stability.
What is the RGB code for purple?
Purple does not have a single RGB code since it varies in shade, but a common purple is (128, 0, 128).
What is the RGB code for maroon?
The RGB code for maroon is (128, 0, 0).
Are there any sports teams that use purple as their color?
Yes, several sports teams use purple, including the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL.
Do purple flowers have a special meaning?
Purple flowers often symbolize dignity, pride, and success.
Are there any flags that feature maroon?
The flag of Qatar features a shade similar to maroon.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
