Syringa
/sɪˈrɪŋ.ɡə/noun
A genus of shrubs and small trees that includes lilacs.
Did you know?Syringa is named from Greek syrinx, meaning “pipe” or “tube,” because the plant’s stems were once associated with hollow reeds and the pastoral pipe of Pan, whose nymph Syrinx was transformed to escape him.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
syrinx
“pipe, tube, reed; also the panpipe”
Late Latin
Latin
syringa
“lilac; a plant associated with reed-like stems”
16th Century
Latin
Syringa
“the botanical name applied to lilac shrubs”
Modern English
English
syringa
“a lilac shrub or tree, especially in botanical contexts”