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dunbaranne | 11:18 Tue 25th Jul 2006 | Quizzes & Puzzles
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Derived from the Greek word for 'purple' which 14-letter term is given to a prince born after his father has succeeded to the throne?
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Porphyrogenite.
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Thank you for such a prompt reply - I have never heard this term before!
By way of understanding this word comes from a poem by Edgar Allan Poe - The Haunted Palace and may even have been 'coined' by Mr Poe!

The word was derived from the following -
A Byzantine emperor's son born in the purple or porphyry room assigned to empresses, hence a prince born after his father's accession; a person born into the nobility.
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Thank you Pandabear for the background of the word.
Actually, the word comes from the Greek 'porphyrogenitos' and Latin 'porphyrogenitus'. It was first recorded in English use in the early 1600s, so - whilst Poe certainly used it - it was on the go for quite a time before he ever set pen to paper!

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