: a widely cultivated European shrub (Syringa vulgaris) of the olive family that has cordate ovate leaves and large panicles of fragrant pinkish-purple or white flowers
b
: a tree or shrub congeneric with the lilac
2
: a variable color averaging a moderate purple
Illustration of lilac
lilac 1a
Examples of lilac in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebIncorporate lilac, lavender, and spirea to provide high value nutrition from May through September.—Peter Gorman, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2024 In a Facebook dedicated to morel enthusiasts, where more than 57,000 members share photos of their conquests, and offer advice for other foragers, including one of the oldest tips: Morels appear around the same time that lilacs bloom.—Amelia Benavides-Colón, Detroit Free Press, 19 Apr. 2024 But at the same time, lilacs are blooming and birds are flapping around in the trees.—Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2024 The macro camera does a slightly better job of capturing detail, though the edges of the lilacs in the image below aren't very crisp.—PCMAG, 30 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for lilac
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lilac.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
obsolete French (now lilas), from Arabic līlak, from Persian nīlak bluish, from nīl blue, from Sanskrit nīla dark blue
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