n.
Pronunciation: ' kr ō -k ə s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural cro · cus · es
Etymology: Middle English, the saffron plant, from Latin, from Greek krokos, of Semitic origin; akin to Akkadian kurk ā n ū saffron
Date: 14th century
1 a plural also crocus or cro · ci \ - ˌ k ē , - ˌ k ī , - ˌ s ī \ : any of a genus ( Crocus ) of herbs of the iris family developing from corms and having solitary long-tubed flowers and slender linear leaves b : SAFFRON 1A
2 : a dark red ferric oxide used for polishing metals