ylang-ylang

noun

ˌē-ˌläŋ-ˈē-ˌläŋ 

variants or less commonly ilang-ilang

1

: a tree (Cananga odorata) of the custard-apple family that is native to the Malay Archipelago, the Philippines, and adjacent areas and has very fragrant greenish-yellow flowers

2

: a perfume distilled from the flowers of the ylang-ylang tree

Examples of ylang-ylang in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Creamy sandalwood is the star here, with cinnamon adding warmth and ylang-ylang softening things up. — Amanda Le, InStyle, 24 Sep. 2026

The blooms here are peony, rosewater, and ylang-ylang, creating a hyper-femme result. — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 7 Aug. 2026

There’s a Queen of the Night, with jasmine sambac absolute and rose essence; a benzoin duo with ylang-ylang and Virginia cedar, and tonka beans with vanilla bean and white musk notes. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 17 July 2026

Drawing on their legacy, Laura Ashley has recently launched a perfume range, including Serene Meadows, a fresh, green fragrance with notes of ylang-ylang and neroli, evocative of the British countryside. — Laia Farran Graves, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Tagalog

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ylang-ylang

• bang
• chuang
• clang
• dang
• drang
• fang
• gang
• gangue
• hang
• hange
• kang
• langue