What does "lilac" mean?
A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers.
Lilac
/ˈlaɪlək/ adj, name, noun
adj, name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers.
- Grammar: lilac is listed as adj, name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: amethyst, amethystine, color, floral.
- Useful contrasts: colorless, odorless, unfragrant.
- Usage evidence: My mother loved lilac bushes so I planted some outside her door.
How to use "lilac"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lilac" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lilac" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "lilac" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lilac" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "lilac" is acting as adj, name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "amethyst" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "lilac", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A large shrub of the genus Syringa, especially Syringa vulgaris, bearing white, pale-pink, or purple flowers.
"Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of mauve-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines."
- 2 any of various plants of the genus Syringa having large panicles of usually fragrant flowers wordnet
- 3 A flower of the lilac shrub.
"[…] O death, I cover you over with roses and early lilies, / But mostly and now the lilac that blooms the first, / Copious I break, I break the sprigs from the bushes, / With loaded arms I come, pouring for you, / For you and the coffins all of you O death."
- 4 A pale purple color, the color of some lilac flowers.
- 5 A cat having a lilac-colored (pale brown) coat.
Adjective
- 1 Having a pale purple colour.
- 2 Of a cat or its fur: having a pale brown colour, lighter than chocolate.
Adjective
- 1 of a pale purple color wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A female given name from English.
""Lilac Kingsmith," I said. "What a neat name.""
Antonyms
Example
"My mother loved lilac bushes so I planted some outside her door."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lilac"?
Common synonyms include: amethyst, amethystine, color, floral, flower, fragrant.
How do you use "lilac" in a sentence?
My mother loved lilac bushes so I planted some outside her door.
How do you pronounce "lilac"?
Pronounced /ˈlaɪlək/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From obsolete French lilac (now lilas), from Arabic لِيلَك (līlak).
Etymology 2
From lilac.