Adjacent Words

Lilac definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

LI'LAC, n. A plant or shrub of the genus syringa, a native of Persia. The common lilac is cultivated for its flowers, which are purple or white.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: of a pale purple color [syn: lavender, lilac, lilac- colored] n
1: any of various plants of the genus Syringa having large panicles of usually fragrant flowers

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: obsolete French (now lilas), from Arabic l?lak, from Persian n?lak bluish, from n?l blue, from Sanskrit n?la dark blue Date: 1625 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

Britannica Concise

Any of about 30 species of fragrant N spring-flowering garden shrubs and small trees that make up the genus Syringa in the olive family, native to E Europe and temperate Asia. Lilacs have deep green leaves and large, oval clusters of compound blooms colored deep purple, lavender, blue, red, pink, white, or creamy yellow; they are often highly fragrant. The common lilac (S. vulgaris) reaches 20 ft (6 m) in height and produces many suckers (shoots from the stem or root). The name syringa was formerly used for the mock orange of the saxifrage family, and the butterfly bush (see buddleia) is commonly called "summer lilac."

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & adj. --n. 1 any shrub or small tree of the genus Syringa, esp. S. vulgaris with fragrant pale pinkish-violet or white blossoms. 2 a pale pinkish-violet colour. --adj. of this colour. Etymology: obs. F f. Sp. f. Arab. lilak f. Pers. lilak, var. of nilak bluish f. nil blue

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Lilac Li"lac (l[imac]"lak), n. [Also lilach.] [Sp. lilac, lila, Ar. l[=i]lak, fr. Per. l[=i]laj, l[=i]lanj, l[=i]lang, n[=i]laj, n[=i]l, the indigo plant, or from the kindred l[=i]lak bluish, the flowers being named from the color. Cf. Anil.] 1. (Bot.) A shrub of the genus Syringa. There are six species, natives of Europe and Asia. Syringa vulgaris, the common lilac, and S. Persica, the Persian lilac, are frequently cultivated for the fragrance and beauty of their purplish or white flowers. In the British colonies various other shrubs have this name. 2. A light purplish color like that of the flower of the purplish lilac. California lilac (Bot.), a low shrub with dense clusters of purplish flowers (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus).

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(lilacs, or lilac) 1. A lilac or a lilac tree is a small tree which has sweet-smelling purple, pink, or white flowers in large, cone-shaped groups. Lilacs grew against the side wall. ...a twig of lilac. N-VAR • Lilacs are the flowers which grow on this tree. ...a vase of tulips, lilies, lilacs and primroses... Her hair smelt of lilac. N-VAR 2. Something that is lilac is pale pinkish-purple in colour. All shades of mauve, lilac, lavender and purple were fashionable. COLOUR