SAFFRON

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does saffron mean? 

• SAFFRON (noun)
  The noun SAFFRON has 3 senses:

1. Old World crocus having purple or white flowers with aromatic pungent orange stigmas used in flavoring food

2. dried pungent stigmas of the Old World saffron crocus

3. a shade of yellow tinged with orange

  Familiarity information: SAFFRON used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SAFFRON (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Old World crocus having purple or white flowers with aromatic pungent orange stigmas used in flavoring food

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

Crocus sativus; saffron; saffron crocus

Hypernyms ("saffron" is a kind of...):

crocus (any of numerous low-growing plants of the genus Crocus having slender grasslike leaves and white or yellow or purple flowers; native chiefly to the Mediterranean region but widely cultivated)

Meronyms (parts of "saffron"):

saffron (dried pungent stigmas of the Old World saffron crocus)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Dried pungent stigmas of the Old World saffron crocus

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("saffron" is a kind of...):

flavorer; flavoring; flavourer; flavouring; seasoner; seasoning (something added to food primarily for the savor it imparts)

Holonyms ("saffron" is a part of...):

Crocus sativus; saffron; saffron crocus (Old World crocus having purple or white flowers with aromatic pungent orange stigmas used in flavoring food)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A shade of yellow tinged with orange

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

orange yellow; saffron

Hypernyms ("saffron" is a kind of...):

yellow; yellowness (yellow color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of sunflowers or ripe lemons)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "saffron"):

ocher; ochre (a moderate yellow-orange to orange color)

 Context examples 

Also called Indian saffron and turmeric.

(Jiang huang, NCI Dictionary)

The substance in Indian saffron that gives it a yellow color (curcumin) is being studied in the treatment of cancer, Alzheimer disease, cystic fibrosis, and psoriasis.

(Indian saffron, NCI Dictionary)

It is just what I used to say to a certain gentleman in company in the days of courtship, when, because things did not go quite right, did not proceed with all the rapidity which suited his feelings, he was apt to be in despair, and exclaim that he was sure at this rate it would be May before Hymen's saffron robe would be put on for us.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)