A lilac is a bush or small tree with sweet-smelling flowers that grow in clusters, usually purple, white, or pink. The flowers bloom in spring and are often grown in gardens.
The word comes from the French “lilas,” which came from Spanish and then from Arabic “līlak,” itself borrowed from Persian. The Persian word originally referred to a bluish or purplish color, which matched the flower’s most common shade.
Lilacs traveled along trade routes from Persia and the Ottoman Empire into Europe, so the word for this plant is like a living fossil of ancient trade. When you say “lilac,” you’re echoing gardeners and traders from hundreds of years ago who loved the same scent you smell today.
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