saffron
/ˈsæfɹən/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.21 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
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.
Countable; Uncountable
adj
Associated with Hinduism, Hindus or Hindu nationalism.
Example Sentences
- "Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, spikenard and saffron […]"
- "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."
- "I must have saffron to colour the warden pies […]"
- "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."
- "Saffron is not included in American and British pharmacopoeias, but some Indian medical formulae still include it."
- "According to ancient legend, a Greek girl, partaking of saffron for an entire week, could not resist a lover."
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.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈsæfɹən/
- British English: /ˈsæfɹən/
Usage
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Medicine.
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
African saffron
American saffron
bastard saffron
Cape saffron
cobra saffron
dyer's saffron
false saffron
Indian saffron