Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *neyH-der.?
Sanskrit नील॑ (nī́la)der.
Middle Persian 𐭭𐭩𐭫 (nīl)
Classical Persian نِیل (nīl)
Middle Persian 𐭪 (k /-ak/)
Classical Persian ـَک (-ak)
Classical Persian لِیلَک (līlak)bor.
Arabic لِيلَك (līlak)bor.
French lilacbor.
English lilac
From obsolete French lilac (now lilas), from Arabic لِيلَك (līlak).
Meanings
Having a pale purple colour.
Of a cat or its fur: having a pale brown colour, lighter than chocolate.
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *neyH-der.?
Sanskrit नील॑ (nī́la)der.
Middle Persian 𐭭𐭩𐭫 (nīl)
Classical Persian نِیل (nīl)
Middle Persian 𐭪 (k /-ak/)
Classical Persian ـَک (-ak)
Classical Persian لِیلَک (līlak)bor.
Arabic لِيلَك (līlak)bor.
French lilacbor.
English lilac
From obsolete French lilac (now lilas), from Arabic لِيلَك (līlak).
Meanings
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. 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “Afterglow”, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC, page 168:
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. 1865, Walt Whitman, “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d”, in Sequel to Drum-Taps: When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d and other poems:
A pale purple color, the color of some lilac flowers.