Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A corm-producing plant (Crocus sativus) native to the Old World, having purple or white flowers with orange stigmas.
- n. The dried aromatic stigmas of this plant, used to color foods and as a cooking spice and dyestuff.
- n. A moderate or strong orange yellow to moderate orange.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A product consisting of the dried stigmas of the flowers of the autumnal crocus, Crocus sativus. The true saffron of commerce is now mostly hay saffron—that is, it consists of the loose stigmas uncaked. The product of over four thousand flowers is required to make an ounce. It has a sweetish aromatic odor, a warm pungent bitter taste, and a deep orange color. In medicine it was formerly deemed highly stimulant, antispasmodic, and even narcotic; it was esteemed by the ancients and by the Arabians; and on the continent of Europe it is still much used as an emmenagogue. Experiments, however, have shown that it possesses little activity. It is also used to color confectionery, and in Europe and India is largely employed as a condiment. Saffron yields to water and alcohol about three fourths of its weight in an orange-red extract, which has been largely used in painting and dyeing, but in the latter use is mostly replaced by much cheaper substitutes.
- n. The plant which produces saffron, a low bul-bous herb, Crocus sativus, the autumnal crocus. The saffron resembles the ordinary spring crocus. It has handsome purple flowers, the perianth funnel-shaped with a long slender tube, the style with its three stigmas, which are over an inch long, hanging out on one side. It is thought to be a native of Greece and the Levant, its wild original being perhaps a form of
C. Cartwrightianus . It is grown for its commercial produce in parts of southern Europe, especially in Spain, and in Asia Minor, Persia, Cashmere, and China. - Having the color given by an infusion of saffron-flowers, somewhat orange-yellow, less brilliant than chrome.
- To tinge with saffron; make yellow; gild; give color or flavor to.
Wiktionary
- n. The saffron crocus plant, Crocus sativus.
- n. A seasoning made from the stigma of the saffron plant.
- n. A dye made from the stigma of the saffron plant.
- n. An orange-yellow colour. The color of a lion.
- adj. Having a orange-yellow colour.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A bulbous iridaceous plant (Crocus sativus) having blue flowers with large yellow stigmas. See crocus.
- n. 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.
- n. An orange or deep yellow color, like that of the stigmas of the Crocus sativus.
- adj. Having the color of the stigmas of saffron flowers; deep orange-yellow.
- v. To give color and flavor to, as by means of saffron; to spice.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a shade of yellow tinged with orange
- n. Old World crocus having purple or white flowers with aromatic pungent orange stigmas used in flavoring food
- n. dried pungent stigmas of the Old World saffron crocus
Etymologies
- Middle English safroun, from Old French safran, from Medieval Latin safrānum, from Arabic za'farān.
Examples
“The killers were dressed in saffron scarves and khaki shorts, the uniform of the RSS, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (Organization of National Volunteers) — the umbrella group of the Hindu nationalist movement — and came armed with swords and gas cylinders, as well as electoral registers and computer printouts of addresses.”
“In Chelsea Manhattan, two weeks before Halloween, white powdered, barefoot Beings in saffron skirts and robes moving on crystal sand escort us to our essence where we are quiet; grace reigns (rains).”
The Huffington Post: Jack Schimmelman: Sankai Juku (studio by the mountain and the sea)
“Check at your major produce distribution center in D.F. And you are right ... so-called mexican saffron is absolutly NOT a substitute for real saffron ...”
“Slogans and calls for shutting down shops erupted as men in saffron brandishing trishuls marched around the market.”
The Huffington Post: Kavita N. Ramdas: Reflections from a Colleague - Justice and Community Building
“I don't like the word saffron," she declared; "somehow it makes me think of camomile tea.”
“The word saffron is derived from the Arabic zafran, "yellow.”
“The saffron is a bit of a splurge, but adds incredible richness and makes for a golden start to the new year.”
Ellen Kanner: Meatless Monday: A New Year's Resolution of Biblical Proportions
“-- This plant must not be confounded with _Curcuma longa_, L., whose tuber is also frequently called saffron (azafrán), and is used to color food.”
“It abounds in Palestine name saffron is usually applied only to the stigmas and part of the style, which are plucked out and dried.”
“Hence male devotees are advised to avoid tile "two reds," i.e. meat and wine; while the "two reds," which corrupt women, are gold and saffron, that is perfumery.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘saffron’.
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Loanwords
Since English is littered with loanwords, everything could conceivably end up here. But there is a distinct feeling associated with these.. maybe they're young additions to the English language; I ...
iceberg, fjord, firth, abbey, abyss, anorak, apartheid, assassin, avalanche, avocado, balaclava, banana and 104 more...
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my fab list
blowsabella, aperçu, froideur, salubrious, abject, gallipot, mumchance, wainscot, virago, macerate, lascivious, clandestine and 181 more...
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Of Arabic Origin
Arabic loanwords in English are words acquired directly from Arabic or else indirectly by passing from Arabic into other languages and then into English. Most entered one or more of the Romance lan...
admiral, adobe, albatross, alchemy, alcohol, alcove, alembic, alfalfa, algebra, algorism, algorithm, alidade and 181 more...
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Uncommon Colours
azure, myrtle, periwinkle, viridian, jade, emerald, lime, chartreuse, asparagus, celadon, harlequin, olive and 147 more...
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Archaic Colours
Words for colours that have fallen out of use.
aeneous, croceate, cretaceous, cramoisy, corbeau, coquelicot, coccineous, claret, cinerious, chrysochlorous, chlorochrous, cesious and 128 more...
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food collection
bread, peel, pot, chorizo, Filet, olive, fill, Phyllo, dough, bake, mat, pinot and 988 more...
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2
kerniving, scandinavia, confectionary, mangrove, bejewelled, flesh, crystalline, gazelle, pantaloons, bluebird, caribou, albatross and 88 more...
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Yellows
sunflower, sunshine, amber, apricot, corn, cream, goldenrod, gold, flax, gamboge, lemon, mustard and 2 more...
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Spices: How Exotic!
That extra something that makes the dish pop.
white pepper, wasabi, vanilla, turmeric, tonka bean, tamarind, sumac, star anise, St. John's bread, Sichuan pepper, sesame seed, sassafras and 70 more...
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stucra
A list of words that come to mind that I like to see and hear.
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Orange Names
Words that mean orange that could also be names

chained_bear Yeah, just like naugahyde. Dec 6, 2007
reesetee Ah, bilby, I was just quoting a song. Anyway, I didn't realize they still used Buddhist monks to make fabric. ;-> Dec 5, 2007
bilby Don't like it. Reminds me of all those words plasticky words and things like nylon, rayon, teflon, etc. All I see here is an artificial fabric made out of Buddhist monks. Dec 5, 2007
sonofgroucho You know, I was going to say that! Dec 5, 2007
reesetee I'm just mad about this word. ;-) Feb 15, 2007