Definition of the word lilac

The word "lilac" comes from the Persian language where it was originally spelled "lilghah" or "limak" in the 13th century. The Persian word referred to a shrub with showy purple flowers, which was brought to the Western world during the Crusades. In the early 16th century, the French adopted the Persian word and replaced the "g" with "c," spelling it "lliloche." This French spelling eventually evolved into "lilas" in the 18th century. The English borrowed the French term in the mid-19th century, and it was anglicized to "lilac." Notably, there are controversies surrounding the origin of the word. Some authors suggest that the English may have derived the word from the Hebrew "leilach," meaning "night Blooming" or from the Arabic "lilah," meaning "night." However, the etymological evidence supports that the Persian spelling is the root of the modern-day English word. The lilac became a popular garden flower in the 19th century, and its name has continued to captivate common usage in English and many other languages worldwide.