Saffron
/ˈsæf.rən/noun
A spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, used for flavoring and coloring food.
Did you know?Saffron has been used in ancient rituals as a symbol of wealth and prosperity, often linked to the divine and the sacred.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sābhro
“shining, yellow, or golden”
Ancient Greek
Greek
κρόκος (krokos)
“the saffron flower, associated with the color yellow and used in medicine”
Latin
Latin
safranum
“saffron, the spice derived from the flower's stigmas”
Old French
Old French
safran
“the spice, continuing the culinary and medicinal traditions”
Middle English
Middle English
safran
“the spice, often used in luxury foods and dyes”
Modern English
English
saffron
“the spice, now recognized for its culinary and medicinal properties, as well as its historical significance”
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