lilac: [17] Like the river Nile, the lilac gets its name from its colour. The Sanskrit word for ‘dark blue’ was nīla. This passed into Persian as nīl, from which was derived nīlak ‘bluish’. This developed a variant līlak, which English acquired via Arabic līlak, Spanish lilac, and early modern French lilac. Along the way it was applied to a shrub of the genus Syringa, on account of its mauve flowers.
lilac (n.)
1620s, from French lilac "shrub of genus Syringa with mauve flowers," from Spanish lilac, from Arabic lilak, from Persian lilak, variant of nilak "bluish," from nil "indigo" (compare Sanskrit nilah "dark blue"), of uncertain origin. As a color name, attested from 1791; as a scent, from 1895. As an adjective, "pale pinkish-purple," from 1801. Related: Lilaceous.
雙語例句
1. All shades of mauve, lilac, lavender and purple were fashionable.
深深淺淺的各種木槿色、丁香色、熏衣草色和紫色都是流行色。
來自柯林斯例句
2. Her hair smelt of lilac.
她的頭發(fā)散發(fā)出丁香花的香味。
來自柯林斯例句
3. The air was filled with the scent of lilac.
空氣中彌漫著丁香花的芬芳.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》
4. Twilight was sweet with the smell of lilac and freshly turned earth.