: 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 WebIn the snap, Porizkova carried a bouquet of lilacs and a few shopping bags while wearing a breezy, cherry red midi dress, with a waist-cinching belt, a preppy collared neckline, and puffed short sleeves.—Averi Baudler, Peoplemag, 12 May 2024 But all the coconut oil in the world could not suspend a fresh lilac in its mid-May state of florescence.—Lily Stewart, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 May 2024 Correspondent Conor Knighton talks with artists who create pristine peonies and pansies, life-like lilacs, and ridiculously large roses, using little more than paper, paint and glue.—David Morgan, CBS News, 10 May 2024 Guests were welcomed with bouquets of tulips, roses, lilacs; this was one of the rare NYC parties where the florals were both the merch and the decor.—Vogue, 4 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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