Purple

HEX: #800080 | Modern Palette

On White
9.42:1
PASS
On Black
2.23:1
FAIL

Color Specifications

HEX
#800080
RGB
128, 0, 128
HSL
300°, 100% ,50%
CMYK
0, 100, 0, 49.8

About Purple

Purple (#800080) is a color with RGB(128, 0, 128) and HSL(300°, 100%, 50.2%). It is commonly associated with Energetic, Bold moods. In design, it fits Vivid, Warm styles and is suitable for Text, Button, Accent. Its complementary color is Office Green (#008000), which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes Olive (#808000) and Teal (#008080). The name comes from purpul (Old English).

  • HEX: #800080
  • RGB: 128, 0, 128
  • HSL: 300°, 100%, 50.2%
  • Mood: Energetic, Bold
  • Style: Vivid, Warm
  • Use case: Text, Button, Accent
  • Complementary color: Office Green (#008000)
  • Triadic colors: Olive (#808000), Teal (#008080)
  • The name comes from purpul (Old English).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

Purple #800080 is used in Monochromatic, Neutral + Accent, Analogous, 3 + 1 + 1 palettes, giving designers ready-made combinations for backgrounds, surfaces, accents, and interface elements.

Monochromatic Five tones of the same hue — a reliable scale for backgrounds, surfaces, and text.
 
PURPLE
MAGENTA
 
 
Neutral + Accent Four near-neutral tones grounded by a saturated accent — clean and versatile for UI.
 
 
PURPLE
 
 
Analogous Five hues drifting across a 60° arc — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
 
 
MAGENTA
 
 
3 + 1 + 1 Three analogous base colors, one complementary accent, one dark anchor — bold yet balanced.
 
 
 
 
 

Color Harmonies

Purple #800080 pairs with Office Green (#008000) as its complementary color, and Olive (#808000) and Teal (#008080) in triadic combinations. These harmony relationships help create balanced color combinations for UI, branding, and design work.

Complementary

The color directly opposite on the color wheel — creates maximum contrast and vibrance.

PURPLE
OFFICE GREEN
Analogous

Colors adjacent on the wheel — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

PURPLE
Triadic

Three colors equally spaced 120° apart — bold, balanced, and visually rich.

PURPLE
OLIVE
TEAL
Split-Complementary

Two colors flanking the complement — high contrast with less tension than full complementary.

PURPLE
Tetradic (Square)

Four colors at 90° intervals — rich variety, best when one color dominates.

PURPLE
OFFICE GREEN
Monochromatic

Shades and tints of the same hue — cohesive, elegant, and easy to work with.

PURPLE
DEEP MAGENTA

Shades & Tints

The shade and tint range for Purple #800080 moves from dark #1A001A tones through the base color to lighter #FFE6FF tones, making it useful for depth, hierarchy, and background variation.

PURPLE

Color Characteristics

Mood
Energetic Bold
Style
Vivid Warm
Use case
Text Button Accent

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #47477F
Protanopia #2A2A80
Tritanopia #782E2E
Achromatopsia #464646

Frequently Asked Questions

Purple (#800080) is a color with RGB(128, 0, 128) and HSL(300°, 100%, 50.2%).

#800080 pairs strongly with Office Green (#008000) as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#800080 is suitable for Text, Button, Accent and works well with Vivid, Warm styles.

#800080 is commonly associated with Energetic, Bold.

The name Purple is linked to purpul from Old English, meaning Derived from Latin 'purpura', referring to the Tyrian purple dye and the mollusk it came from..

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word purpul
Meaning Derived from Latin 'purpura', referring to the Tyrian purple dye and the mollusk it came from.
Language Old English
First Recorded Use Late Old English to Middle English

History

Tyrian purple, a highly prized dye, was produced in antiquity from murex snails, making it extremely expensive and a symbol of royalty and power. Its use was often restricted by law to emperors and high-ranking officials in Roman and Byzantine empires. The color's association with luxury persisted through the Middle Ages and Renaissance, influencing ecclesiastical vestments and noble attire. Synthetic dyes in the 19th century made purple more accessible, democratizing its use in fashion and art.

First Recorded Use

The word 'purple' entered English around the 10th century, evolving from earlier forms like 'purpul' and 'purpure'. Its usage initially referred to the specific dye and later expanded to the color itself.

Cultural Associations

Purple symbolizes royalty, wealth, and power across many cultures due to the historical cost of its dye. It is also associated with spirituality, magic, and creativity, often appearing in religious contexts and artistic expressions. In some Western cultures, it can represent mourning or penitence, particularly in liturgical settings.

Similar Named Colors
Mardi Gras #880085 ΔE 1.59
Dark Magenta #8B008B ΔE 2.43
Eminence #6C3082 ΔE 6.47
Violet (RYB) #8601AF ΔE 7.70

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #800080;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #800080;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #800080;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #800080,
        #01FF01
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #800080,
        #01FF01
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$purple: #800080;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$purple-r: 128;
$purple-g: 0;
$purple-b: 128;

// Usage
.element {
    background-color: $purple;
    color: rgba($purple-r, $purple-g, $purple-b, 0.8);
}