[cro.cus] n, pl cro.cus.es [ME, the saffron plant, fr. L, fr. Gk krokos, of Sem origin; akin to Akkadian kurkanu saffron] (14c) 1 a pl also crocus or cro.ci : any of a large 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