noun an orange-red dyestuff extracted from the saffron.
2. safranin ·noun an orange-red dyestuff prepared from certain nitro compounds of creosol, and used as a substitute for the safflower dye.
3. safranin ·noun a red dyestuff extracted from the safflower, and formerly used in dyeing wool, silk, and cotton pink and scarlet;
called also spanish red, china lake, and carthamin.