Sentence:  <WSD>Saffron</WSD> 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, <WSD>saffron</WSD> 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, <WSD>saffron</WSD> is ubiquitous. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  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.