5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Saffron  \Saf"fron\  (?;  277),  a. 
  Having  the  color  of  the  stigmas  of  saffron  flowers;  deep 
  orange-yellow;  as  a  saffron  face;  a  saffron  streamer. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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}. 
 
  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}. 
 
  {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  ({El[ae]odendron  croceum});  also  the  tree  itself 
 
  {Saffron  yellow},  a  shade  of  yellow  like  that  obtained  from 
  the  stigmas  of  the  true  saffron  ({Crocus  sativus}). 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Saffron  \Saf"fron\,  v.  t. 
  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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  saffron 
  n  1:  Old  World  crocus  having  purple  or  white  flowers  with 
  aromatic  pungent  orange  stigmas  used  in  flavoring  food 
  [syn:  {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}] 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  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." 
 

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