Purple Heart

noun, U.S. Armed Forces.

a medal awarded for wounds received in action against an enemy or as a direct result of an act of the enemy.

Origin

1930-35, Americanism

purpleheart

[pur-puh l-hahrt] /ˈpɜr pəlˌhɑrt/

noun

the hard, purplish wood of any of several South American trees belonging to the genus Peltogyne, of the legume family, used for making furniture.

Origin

1790-1800; purple + heart

British Dictionary definitions for Purple Heart

noun

any of several tropical American leguminous trees of the genus Peltogyne

the decorative purple heartwood of any of these trees

(informal, mainly Brit) a heart-shaped purple tablet consisting mainly of amphetamine

noun

a decoration awarded to members of the US Armed Forces for a wound incurred in action

Slang definitions & phrases for Purple Heart

noun phrase

Any barbiturate, or a mixture of a barbiturate and morphine; goofball, nimby

[1960s+ Narcotics; fr the US decoration awarded for a combat wound]