What color is Amethyst?
Amethyst is a medium purple with a cool, slightly blue-violet tone, hex #9966CC, close to the color of an amethyst gemstone. It is lighter than deep plum but richer than lavender, with a soft glow that keeps it from reading as gray.
What is the meaning of the color Amethyst?
Ancient Greeks believed amethyst prevented intoxication, and by the 1st century AD the stone gave its name to this shade of purple. For centuries, purple dyes were reserved for royalty and clergy across Europe and the Middle East due to their scarcity and cost. When synthetic dyes became available in the 19th century, purple moved into wider use, and amethyst as a distinct color name entered formal English records by the late 1800s. The Pantone Color Institute named Radiant Orchid, a close relative of amethyst, its Color of the Year for 2014, anchoring the shade firmly in contemporary design language.
What colors go with Amethyst?
Colors that pair well with Amethyst include:
Soft Gold: warm, glowing contrast
Charcoal Gray: grounding, elegant depth
Dusty Rose: gentle, tonal softness
Forest Green: cool, earthy balance
Cream: light, clean contrast
Similar Colors
Conversions & Codes
| Format | Value | CSS |
|---|---|---|
| HEX | #9966CC |
color: #9966CC;
|
| RGB | 153, 102, 204 |
color: rgb(153, 102, 204);
|
| RGB Percentage | 60%, 40%, 80% |
color: rgb(60%, 40%, 80%);
|
| CMYK | 25%, 50%, 0%, 20% | Not supported in CSS |
| HSL | 270°, 50%, 60% |
color: hsl(270, 50%, 60%);
|
| HSV | 270°, 50%, 80% | Not supported in CSS |
| CIE-LAB | 48, 10, -34 |
color: lab(48% 10 -34);
|
| Decimal | 10053324 | Not supported in CSS |
Color Variations
Shades
Tints
Tones
Hues
Color Harmonies
Analogous
Complementary
Split Complementary
Triadic
Tetradic
Square
CSS & Dev Snippets
.amethyst {
color: #9966CC;
}
$amethyst: #9966CC;
rgb(153, 102, 204)