lilac

noun

li·​lac ˈlī-ˌläk  -ˌlak 

-lək

1

a

: 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 Web

Her eyes were ringed in purple shadow, her cheeks blended with orange blush, and a whacky lilac buccaneer-style hat by milliner Stephen Jones framed her face. —Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026

Growing fragrant plants, such as mock orange, lilacs, and heliotropes, near front doors and driveways can make walking to your door after a long day of work a truly transportive experience. —Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 15 Apr. 2026

Ryan Alam, a chemist at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany, and his colleagues found that the larvae attract bees by emitting a collection of 17 scented compounds often found in flowers, including linalool oxide and lilac aldehyde. —Chris Simms, Scientific American, 12 Apr. 2026

Opt for seasonal colors like pastel shades of pink, lilac, and periwinkle to keep things fresh. —Georgia Day, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

obsolete French (now lilas), from Arabic līlak, from Persian nīlak bluish, from nīl blue, from Sanskrit nīla dark blue

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for lilac

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback

Kids Definition

lilac

noun

li·​lac ˈlī-lək  -ˌlak 

-ˌläk

1

: any of a genus of shrubs and trees related to the olive

especially : a European shrub widely grown for its showy clusters of fragrant pink, purple, or white flowers

2

: a medium purple