saffron Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun Old World crocus having purple or white flowers with aromatic pungent orange stigmas used in flavoring food
    saffron crocus; Crocus sativus.
  2. noun dried pungent stigmas of the Old World saffron crocus
  3. noun a shade of yellow tinged with orange
    orange yellow.

WordNet

Saf"fron noun
Etymology
OE. saffran, F. safran; cf. It. zafferano, Sp. azafran, Pg. a&cced;afr&atil;o; all fr. Ar. & Per. za' faran.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A bulbous iridaceous plant (Crocus sativus) having blue flowers with large yellow stigmas. See Crocus.
  2. The aromatic, pungent, dried stigmas, usually with part of the stile, of the Crocus sativus. Saffron is used in cookery, and in coloring confectionery, liquors, varnishes, etc., and was formerly much used in medicine.
  3. An orange or deep yellow color, like that of the stigmas of the Crocus sativus.
Saf"fron adjective
Definitions
  1. Having the color of the stigmas of saffron flowers; deep orange-yellow; as, a saffron face; a saffron streamer.
Saf"fron transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To give color and flavor to, as by means of saffron; to spice. Obs.
    And in Latyn I speak a wordes few, To saffron with my predication. Chaucer.

Webster 1913