Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Crocus
Cro′cus
(krō′kŭs)
, Noun.
[L., saffron, fr. Gr.
κρόκος
; cf. Heb. karkōm
, Ar. kurkum
, Skr. kuṅkuma
.] 1.
(Bot.)
A genus of iridaceous plants, with pretty blossoms rising separately from the bulb or corm.
Crocus vernus
is one of the earliest of spring-blooming flowers; Crocus sativus
produces the saffron, and blossoms in the autumn. 2.
(Chem.)
A deep yellow powder; the oxide of some metal calcined to a red or deep yellow color; esp., the oxide of iron (
Crocus of Mars
or colcothar
) thus produced from salts of iron, and used as a polishing powder. Crocus of Venus
(Old Chem.)
, oxide of copper.
Webster 1828 Edition
Crocus
CROCUS
,Noun.
1.
Saffron, a genus of plants.2.
In chimistry, a yellow powder; any metal calcined to a red or deep yellow color.Definition 2024
Crocus
Crocus
See also: crocus
Translingual
Proper noun
Crocus m
- A taxonomic genus within the family Iridaceae – the crocuses, native to temperate Eurasia and North Africa.
Hypernyms
- (genus): Plantae - kingdom; angiosperms, monocots - clades; Asparagales - order; Iridaceae - family; Crocoideae - subfamily; Ixieae - tribe
References
- ↑ Erhardt, Walter & Götz, Erich & Bödeker, Nils & Seybold, Siegmund, Zander. Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen. Dictionary of plant names. Dictionnaire des noms de plantes, Ulmer, 2000.
- ↑ Hyam, Roger & Pankhurst, Richard, Plants and their Names. A Concise Dictionary, Oxford University Press, US, 1995.
crocus
crocus
See also: Crocus
English
Noun
crocus (plural crocuses or croci)
- A perennial flowering plant (of the genus Crocus in the Iridaceae family). Saffron is obtained from the stamens of Crocus sativus.
- Any of various similar flowering plants, such as the autumn crocus and prairie crocus.
- (chemistry, obsolete) A deep yellow powder, the oxide of some metal (especially iron), calcined to a red or deep yellow colour.
Derived terms
Derived terms
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Translations
plant of genus Crocus
|
Anagrams
Latin
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Ancient Greek κρόκος (krókos, “crocus”).
Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈkro.kus/
Noun
crocus m (genitive crocī); second declension
Usage notes
Most often, the masculine crocus was used to refer to the plant, while the neuter crocum was used for saffron gathered from the plant. However, this distinction is not universally observed, and the word crocus may refer either to the crocus plant or to saffron taken from the plant.
Inflection
Second declension.
Case | Singular | Plural |
---|---|---|
nominative | crocus | crocī |
genitive | crocī | crocōrum |
dative | crocō | crocīs |
accusative | crocum | crocōs |
ablative | crocō | crocīs |
vocative | croce | crocī |
Related terms
Descendants
References
- CROCUS in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
- crocus in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
- crocus in William Smith, editor (1848) A Dictionary of Greek Biography and Mythology, London: John Murray