SAFFRON

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French ~, safren, from Medieval Latin safranum, from Arabic za‘farān Date: 13th century 1. the deep orange aromatic pungent dried stigmas of a purple-flowered crocus ( Crocus sativus ) used to color and flavor foods and formerly as a dyestuff and in medicine, the crocus supplying ~, a moderate orange to orange yellow