Flieder

Ca. 1600, from Middle Low German vlêder, vlider (“elder”), itself probably from Middle Dutch vlieder, ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *fleuþr. Cognate with modern Dutch vlier, West Frisian flear.

At first merely a northern synonym of Holunder (“elder”); then in the 18th century transferred to the somewhat similar-looking lilac, which is of southeastern European origin and thus had no German name.

• IPA^(key): /ˈfliːdər/, [ˈfliː.dɐ]

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• Hyphenation: Flie‧der

Flieder m (strong, genitive Flieders, plural Flieder)

1. lilac (shrub of the genus Syringa)
2. (regional, parts of Northern Germany) black elder (shrub)

   Synonyms: Holunder, Schwarzer Holunder

• fliederfarben

• Goldflieder, Sommerflieder, Strandflieder

• “Flieder” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Flieder” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.
• “Flieder” in Duden online