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. See autumn crocus
   meadow saffron
   meadow saffron another name for autumn crocus
4. See safflower
   false saffron
   false saffron another name for safflower
5. 1. an orange to orange-yellow colour
   2. ( as adjective )

      a saffron dress

Word History and Origins

Origin of saffron¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of saffron¹

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

Example Sentences

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

From Popular-Science

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.

From Washington Post

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.

From Washington Post

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.

From Washington Post

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg