born to the purple
Of royal blood
Born to the purple means born into royalty or the highest nobility.
Purple dye was historically so expensive that only monarchs could afford garments of that color, making purple a symbol of royal status.
The phrase now extends to anyone born into wealth, power, or privilege: Unlike politicians who clawed their way up, she was born to the purple.
Hereditary supreme ruler
- sovereignSupreme in power
- throneCeremonial chair for sovereigns
- crownSovereign's ornamental headpiece
- emperorMale ruler of empire
empress · queen · king · prince · princess · dynasty · palace · coronation
Ancestry through generations
- ancestryFamily line of descent
- pedigreeRecord of descent
- dynastySuccessive family rulers
- genealogyStudy of family descent
descent · heritage · forebears · ancestors · family tree · lineage · inheritance · legacy
Person of noble birth
- dukeHighest-ranking nobleman
- duchessWoman of ducal rank
- marquessNobleman below duke
- earlBritish hereditary noble rank
countess · viscount · baron · baroness · lord · lady · peerage · noble
Having rightful claim
- advantagedHaving benefits others lack
- pamperedLavished with indulgence
- cossetedOverprotected and indulged
- gildedOverlaid with gold leaf
opulent · luxurious · wealthy · affluent · elite · exclusive · upper-class · establishment
monarch
Hereditary supreme ruler
emperor · empress · queen · king · prince · princess · dynasty · palace · coronation · reign
bloodline
Ancestry through generations
genealogy · descent · heritage · forebears · ancestors · family tree · lineage · inheritance · legacy · succession
aristocrat
Person of noble birth
earl · countess · viscount · baron · baroness · lord · lady · peerage · noble · titled
entitled
Having rightful claim
- advantagedHaving benefits others lack
- pamperedLavished with indulgence
- cossetedOverprotected and indulged
gilded · opulent · luxurious · wealthy · affluent · elite · exclusive · upper-class · establishment · old money
born to the purpleself-made
Successful through own efforts
nouveau riche · arriviste · parvenu · social climber · rags to riches
born, bore, borne, bearer, bearable, unbearable, birth, birthright, newborn