ylang-ylang

American  

[ee-lahng-ee-lahng] / ˈi lɑŋˈi lɑŋ /

Or ilang-ilang

noun

1. an aromatic tree, Cananga odorata, of the annona family, native to the Philippines, Java, etc., having fragrant, drooping flowers that yield a volatile oil used in perfumery.

2. the oil or perfume.

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ylang-ylang British  

/ ˌiːlæŋˈiːlæŋ /

noun

1. an aromatic Asian tree, Cananga odorata (or Canangium odoratum ), with fragrant greenish-yellow flowers yielding a volatile oil: family Annonaceae

2. the oil obtained from this tree, used in perfumery

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Etymology

Origin of ylang-ylang

First recorded in 1875–80, ylang-ylang is from the Tagalog word ilang-ilang

Example Sentences

It also carries aloe water, Nigerian hibiscus flower, rose oil and ylang-ylang oil to help hydrate the skin.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 15, 2022

In 1993, a perfume by Bijan was named DNA and included geranium, rosemary, ylang-ylang, mint and bergamot as its top notes.

From Salon • Jul. 3, 2021

The rarest find in 2019 was the zonozono, a 20m-tall tree from the ylang-ylang family discovered in the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania.

From The Guardian • Dec. 17, 2019

Unlike ylang-ylang or vetiver, two other frequently used botanicals, “you hear ‘lavender’ and a visual comes to mind,” she added.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 20, 2019

I stammered nervously as I introduced him to Mother, who was blending bergamot and ylang-ylang, clicking her fingers to test the proportions.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover