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View synonyms for saffron

saffron

[ saf-ruhn ]

noun

  1. Also called vegetable gold. a crocus, Crocus sativus, having showy purple flowers.
  2. an orange-colored condiment consisting of its dried stigmas, used to color and flavor foods.
  3. Also saffron yellow. a yellowish-orange color.


saffron

/ ˈsæfrən /

noun

  1. an Old World crocus, Crocus sativus, having purple or white flowers with orange stigmas
  2. the dried stigmas of this plant, used to flavour or colour food
  3. meadow saffron
    another name for autumn crocus
  4. false saffron
    another name for safflower
    1. an orange to orange-yellow colour
    2. ( as adjective )

      a saffron dress

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Word History and Origins

Origin of saffron1

1150–1200; Middle English saffran, saffron Old French safran < Medieval Latin saffrānum < Arabic zaʿfarān
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Word History and Origins

Origin of saffron1

C13: from Old French safran, from Medieval Latin safranum, from Arabic za'farān
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Compare Meanings

How does saffron compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Example Sentences

There are claims about the exotic, or at least the fancy, like saffron threads, raw oysters, and truffles.

Sweet bites of butter-poached lobster mingle with elegant potato rounds and celery leaves in another seafood draw, set on sauce Americaine, which gets a lift from crushed tomatoes, saffron, onions and wine.

No matter how busy I am, I make a point when visiting Iran to take time for saffron shopping.

From Ozy

The whole room would practically glow golden, filled with the lightly floral, grassy perfume of saffron.

Just a pinch of saffron turns this pasta with cod into pure goldHe’d host parties late into the night with his friends and lay out a table full of saffron-spiked stews and rice dishes.

Cumming was once married to actress Hilary Lyon, and he also had a relationship with actress Saffron Burrows.

Later, around 400 BC, they invented faloodeh: rice water, vermicelli, and ice mixed with saffron and/or fruit.

The souped-up scarf comes in a Moroccan black and saffron tile print.

And yet there was Saraswati, ordered to trade in the saffron robes for an orange jumpsuit.

Cheese biscuits, asparagus spears with garlic and saffron mayonnaise, and mixed salted, roasted nuts.

Fagin nodded in the affirmative, and pointing in the direction of Saffron Hill, inquired whether any one was up yonder to-night.

The view is indescribable; from lemon-yellow to orange and saffron are the hills, with blue-grey shadows in their folds.

His yellow tail and wings and his saffron red belly complete this marvellous masculine splendour.

Let us recognize it as an exquisite creation of art, not of nature, as wonderful as the pouter pigeon or the saffron rose.

On the threshold he paused, looking toward the west, blazing with the red and saffron of the departed sun.

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safflower oilSafi