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  • By:karen-millen

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11/2022

6 minutesLilac is one of the most difficult colors to distinguish. We teach you its meaning, curiosities and characteristics.

Reviewed and approved by the psychologist Elena Sanz.

Written by Josberth Johan Benitez Colmenares

Last update: December 28, 2021

Lilac is a color often confused or associated with violet, misty blue, purple, lavender, or dark mauve. It is a color that refers to the homonymous flower. The word lila is a loan from the French lilas, taken from the Arabic lilak and this in turn from the Persian lilag. This Persian word refers to a bluish hue and comes from the Sanskrit nilah (dark blue). We teach you the meaning of the color lilac.

In terms of color theory, lilac is a shade corresponding to one of many shades of purple. It also has a variety of tones, which are accompanied by an adjective to categorize them: French lilac, light lilac, lavender lilac and others. Although it is a color that refers to the common lilac flower, we also find the color in thistles, Malva alcea and saffron.

Lilac Color Characteristics

Lilac is also often referred to as pale violet, directly referring to the color tones of most flowers of the Syringa vulgaris species. This belongs to the olive family and is native to the Balkan region of Europe. It is an ornamental flower that we find in gardens and parks around the world.


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The plant was first described, at least formally, in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus. The flower was used in Ottoman gardens, from these they passed to the gardens of Europe in the 16th century. In the American hills they were not introduced until the middle of the 18th century. From this moment on, the term lilac began to be used in a popular way to refer to the color. We leave you with some curiosities:

It's hard to separate lilac from its sister colors. Many people have difficulty distinguishing it, especially in its lighter tones (it is mistaken for blue) and darker ones (it is confused for violet). Even so, it is an independent color.

Meaning of the color lilac in psychology

According to some experts, the color can have an effect on your behavior, decisions and thoughts. This is conditioned by social variables such as age, gender, beliefs, and receptivity to environmental stimuli. The ability to differentiate colors also comes into play, as we have already mentioned before.


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Indeed, the meaning of the color lilac can overlap with that of the color purple, violet, lavender and so on. From a social point of view, women are conditioned to be able to distinguish differences between color spectrums and tones (also to be able to name them). This would make them more receptive to empathizing with color. Let's see other curiosities:

Despite not being a color that implies intense emotions or abruptly changes your mood, the meaning of the color lilac never goes unnoticed. It has been a traditionally feminine color, linked to love and delicacy.

Meaning of the color lilac in different cultures

Although its participation in cultures around the world is not as impressive (as intense violet or purple is), we highlight some cultural curiosities of this color:

With the latter we say goodbye to our entry on the meaning of the color lilac. We hope that the exposed information has helped you to recognize the importance of color, as well as to appreciate it in a different way the next time you interact with it.

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