Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
common lilac

common lilac

3.0
A bush with heart-shaped leaves and large clusters of very fragrant purple or white flowers often grown in gardens
  • noun
  • /ˈkɑːmən ˈlaɪlæk/
translation icon : lila común
  • The common lilac is known for its beautiful purple flowers that fill the garden with a sweet fragrance in spring.
  • common lilac, Syringa
  • common lilac, Syringa vulgaris

Examples

  • A single stem of common lilac brightened the entire room with its fragrance.

  • The common lilac bushes in our yard fill the air with a sweet scent every spring.

  • Gardeners often choose the common lilac for its beautiful clusters of purple flowers.

  • The common lilac blooms beautifully in spring.

  • I planted a common lilac in my garden last year.

  • Every spring, our backyard bursts into color when the common lilac blooms, attracting bees and butterflies.

  • The common lilac shrub grows tall and wide, making it an excellent choice for creating privacy hedges in gardens.

Synonyms

lilac
vscommon lilac
26 1.6

A bush with small fragrant purple, pink, or white flowers in large groups

is a specific European ornamental shrub with heart-shaped leaves and fragrant clusters
Syringa vulgaris
vscommon lilac
  • Specialized
7.7

A shrub with heart-shaped leaves and clusters of fragrant purple or white flowers

is the garden or common name for the same plant species

Surface Forms

common lilac singular
common lilacs plural

Morphology

common + lilac

The phrase combines the adjective 'common' (typical, frequently occurring) with the noun 'lilac' (a scented shrub), so its meaning — a lilac that is common or typical — is directly and transparently derived from its parts. This straightforward adjective+noun composition is cross-linguistically common and readily comprehensible to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

The name common lilac comes from lilac, a word that entered English from an old Middle Eastern word for the flower's pale purple color. The word common simply meant 'usual' or the garden kind people often grow, so the name gives the image of a familiar, fragrant purple shrub.