Pronunciation: ' sa-fr ə - ˌ n ē n, -n ə n
Variant: or saf · ra · nin \ -n ə n \
Function: noun
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary, from French or German safran saffron
Date: 1868
1 : any of various usually red synthetic dyes that are amino derivatives of bases
2 : any of various mixtures of safranine salts used in dyeing and as biological stains