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

1. \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}).
   

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

3. \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.
   

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."