saffron
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈsæfɹən/
ipa: /ˈsæfəɹn/
rhymes: -æfɹən
Forms: form: saffrons
Etymology: Etymology tree
Aramaic צפרder.
Arabic زَعْفَرَان (zaʕfarān)bor.
Medieval Latin safranumbor.
Old French safranbor.
Middle English saffron
English saffron
Inherited from Middle English saffron, borrowed from Old French safran, borrowed from Medieval Latin safranum, borrowed from Arabic زَعْفَرَان (zaʕfarān), from Aramaic צפר.
Senses: examples: text: Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, spikenard and saffron […]
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Song of Songs of Songs-Chapter-4/#13-14 4:13-14:
text: 2009, D. H. Sanaeinejad, S. N. Hosseini, Regression Models for Saffron Yields in Iran, Daoliang Li, Chunjiang Zhao (editors), Computer and Computing Technologies in Agriculture II, Volume 1, page 510,
Usually the maximum temperature for October, November and December in the southern parts of Khorassan–the main saffron growing area of the Iran-does not exceed 20°C, while the minimum temperature reaches 0°C.
glosses: A plant of species Crocus sativus, a crocus.
examples: text: I must have saffron to colour the warden pies […]
ref: c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
text: 1658, Thomas Muffet, The Theatre of Insects, [1634, Insectorum sive Minimorum Animalium Theatrum], quoted in 2008, Anna Suranyi, The Genius of the English Nation: Travel Writing and National Identity in Early Modern England, page 117-118,
The Irish and Ireland people (who are frequently troubled with lice, and such as will fly, as they say, in summer) anoint their shirts with saffron, and to very good purpose, to drive away the lice, but after six months they wash their shirts again, putting fresh saffron into the lye.
text: Saffron is not included in American and British pharmacopoeias, but some Indian medical formulae still include it.
ref: 2002, James A. Duke, editor, CRC Handbook of Medicinal Spices, page 129:
text: According to ancient legend, a Greek girl, partaking of saffron for an entire week, could not resist a lover.
ref: 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 212:
text: Saffron is the stigma of the crocus flower, which is harvested by hand, dried, and sold either in strands or ground to powder.[…]Of all the medieval spices, saffron was the most expensive, which is not surprising given that 70,000 flowers only yield one pound of dried stigmas. In the European cookbooks of the late Middle Ages, nearly all of which which reflect refined upper-class dining, saffron is ubiquitous.
ref: 2004, Melitta Weiss Adamson, Food in Medieval Times, page 15:
text: Saffron is often called the “golden spice.”
ref: 2011, Mathew Attokaran, Natural Food Flavors and Colorants, unnumbered page:
synonyms: kesar
glosses: A spice (seasoning) and colouring agent made from the stigma and part of the style of the plant, sometimes or formerly also used as a dye and insect repellent.
examples: text: […] The stately Ram
Shone thro’ the Mead, in native Purple clad,
Or milder Saffron […]
ref: a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Spring”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC, page 18:
text: […] the girls locked up Echo Lodge again and went away in the perfect half hour that follows the rose and saffron of a winter sunset.
ref: 1915, L[ucy] M[aud] Montgomery, chapter 7, in Anne of the Island, New York, N.Y.: A[lbert] L[evi] Burt Company, →OCLC:
text: These colours might have been expressly designed—by dissonance as much as harmony—for juxtaposition against those pouring down in brilliant rays of light from the Tiepolo; subtle yet penetrating pinks and greys, light blue turning almost to lavender, rich saffrons and cinnamons melting into bronze and gold.
ref: 1973, Anthony Powell, Temporary Kings, page 82:
text: The classical shades of Antiquity were the most prevalent, but along with the Venetian reds and Egyptian blues, the saffrons and ochres and indigos, were more delicate hues: of pink and cream and lilac, like shells littered upon the shore.
ref: 2011, Seth Hunter, The Winds of Folly, unnumbered page:
text: On another occasion, H-pop singer Kanhiya Mittal sang a duet with a BJP lawmaker whose lyrics read “the saffron is getting deeper”, a reference to the colour of Hinduism and the BJP's own party colours, […]
ref: 2024 May 4, John Reed, “How to interpret India?”, in FT Weekend, Life & Arts, page 9:
synonyms: saffron yellow
glosses: An orange-yellow colour, the colour of a lion's pelt.
Derived terms: alt: Lyperia crocea
word: African saffron
taxonomic: Carthamus tinctorius
word: American saffron
taxonomic: Cassine peragua
word: bastard saffron
word: Cape saffron
taxonomic: Carthamus tinctorius
word: dyer's saffron
taxonomic: Carthamus tinctorius
word: false saffron
taxonomic: Curcuma zedoaria
word: Indian saffron
word: iron saffron
word: meadow-saffron
taxonomic: Colchicum autumnale
word: meadow saffron
taxonomic: Crocus sativus
word: Persian saffron
taxonomic: Crocus sativus
word: saffrom crocus
taxonomic: Arremon flavirostris
word: saffron-billed sparrow
taxonomic: Eriogonum crocatum
word: saffron buckwheat
taxonomic: Eleginus gracilis
word: saffron cod
alt: Xanthospar flavus
word: saffron-cowled blackbird
word: saffron crocus
taxonomic: Sicalis flaveola
word: saffron finch
taxonomic: Pyrilia pyrilia
word: saffron-headed parrot
word: saffronization
word: saffronize
word: saffronlike
word: saffron milk cap
taxonomic: Lactarius deliciosus
word: saffron milkcap
alt: Bumelia angustifolia
word: saffron plum
word: saffron shadow dancer
taxonomic: Spinus siemiradzkii
word: saffron siskin
taxonomic: Aphelandra squarrosa
word: saffron spike
word: saffron terror
taxonomic: Pteroglossus bailloni
word: saffron toucanet
taxonomic: Chrysophyllum monopyrenum
word: saffron tree
word: Saffron Walden
taxonomic: Elaeodendron croceum
word: saffron wood
word: saffrony
word: saffron yellow
taxonomic: Rumex acetosella
word: sheep saffron
taxonomic: Carthamus tinctorius
word: thistle saffron
Related terms: safflower
safranine