saffron

5 definitions found

saffron - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Saffron \Saf"fron\ (?; 277), a.
     Having the color of the stigmas of saffron flowers; deep
     orange-yellow; as, a saffron face; a saffron streamer.
     [1913 Webster]

  Saffron \Saf"fron\, v. t.
     To give color and flavor to, as by means of saffron; to
     spice. [Obs.]
     [1913 Webster]
  
           And in Latyn I speak a wordes few,
           To saffron with my predication.          --Chaucer.
     [1913 Webster]

  Saffron \Saf"fron\ (?; 277), n. [OE. saffran, F. safran; cf. It.
     zafferano, Sp. azafran, Pg. a[,c]afr[~a]o; all fr. Ar. & Per.
     za' far[=a]n.]
     1. (Bot.) A bulbous iridaceous plant (Crocus sativus)
        having blue flowers with large yellow stigmas. See
        Crocus.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. An orange or deep yellow color, like that of the stigmas
        of the Crocus sativus.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Bastard saffron, Dyer's saffron. (Bot.) See Safflower.
        
  
     Meadow saffron (Bot.), a bulbous plant (Colchichum  autumnale
        ) of Europe, resembling saffron.
  
     Saffron wood (Bot.), the yellowish wood of a South African
        tree (Elaeodendron croceum); also, the tree itself.
  
     Saffron yellow, a shade of yellow like that obtained from
        the stigmas of the true saffron (Crocus sativus).
        [1913 Webster]

saffron - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  saffron
      n 1: Old World crocus having purple or white flowers with
           aromatic pungent orange stigmas used in flavoring food
           [syn: saffron, saffron crocus, Crocus sativus]
      2: dried pungent stigmas of the Old World saffron crocus
      3: a shade of yellow tinged with orange [syn: orange yellow,
         saffron]

saffron - Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary :

  Saffron
  Heb. karkom, Arab. zafran (i.e., "yellow"), mentioned only in
  Cant. 4:13, 14; the Crocus sativus. Many species of the crocus
  are found in Palestine. The pistils and stigmata, from the
  centre of its flowers, are pressed into "saffron cakes," common
  in the East. "We found," says Tristram, "saffron a very useful
  condiment in travelling cookery, a very small pinch of it giving
  not only a rich yellow colour but an agreable flavour to a dish
  of rice or to an insipid stew."