Meaning & use
lilac tree
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Meaning
nouncountable
A small tree or large bush that produces clusters of tiny, sweet-smelling purple, pink, or white flowers in spring.
Grammar: Countable: you can say a lilac tree, two lilac trees, or the lilac trees in the garden.
Patterns
- a lilac tree
- the lilac tree
- lilac trees
We planted a lilac tree near the fence so we could smell the flowers from the kitchen.
The lilac tree in the park is covered with purple blooms every May.
She cut a few branches from the lilac tree and put them in a vase.
Word forms
| plural | lilac trees |
|---|
Common combinations
- lilac tree blooms
- The lilac tree blooms later than the cherry tree in our neighborhood.
- a fragrant lilac tree
- A fragrant lilac tree grew beside the old wooden gate.
- prune a lilac tree
- You should prune a lilac tree right after the flowers fade.
- under the lilac tree
- The children played under the lilac tree all afternoon.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lilac
- This is the shorter, more common name for the same plant; lilac tree is used mainly when you want to emphasize that it is a tree rather than a bush.
Word family
- lilac noun
- The plant itself or its pale purple color; also used as an adjective for the color.
Commonly confused: lilac tree or lavender?
lilac tree vs lavender
Lavender is a small bush with narrow gray leaves and purple flowers used for scent, while a lilac tree is much larger with clusters of tiny flowers. Both have purple flowers, so learners sometimes mix up the names.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'lilac tree' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 0 is correct because a lilac tree is a plant known for its sweet smell. Option 1 is wrong because a lilac tree is not a bird. Option 2 is wrong because 'lilac tree' is a noun, not a verb. Option 3 is wrong because lilac flowers are not always blue, and the subject 'lilac tree' would need a singular verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “lilac tree”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.