saffron
noun · adjective · verb
Simple meaning
A spice and colouring agent made from the stigma and part of the style of the plant.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
safruhnSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈsæfɹən
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
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.
Dried pungent stigmas of the Old World saffron crocus
Old World crocus having purple or white flowers with aromatic pungent orange stigmas used in flavoring food
A shade of yellow tinged with orange
An orange-yellow colour, the colour of a lion's pelt.
adjective
Having an orange-yellow colour.
verb
To dye (a fabric, garment, etc.) with a saffron-based dye.
To colour (a metal or wooden surface) with a gilding product containing saffron.
figuratively
To embellish.
To add saffron to (a food), for taste, colour etc.
To give a saffron colour to (something).
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Synonyms
Sense: spice (seasoning) and colouring agent made from the stigma and part of the style of the plant
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