noun

saffron

SAF-ruhn

noun

A prized spice made from the dried stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower, used for flavor and its deep golden color.

"The paella got its golden color from a pinch of saffron."

A warm orange-yellow color, named after the spice.

"The monk's robe was dyed a rich saffron."

adj

Having an orange-yellow color.

"Saffron curtains filled the room with a warm glow."

How to Use Saffron

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA costly spice made from crocus flowers, or the golden-orange color it produces.

Common mistake

Saffron is famously expensive because each flower yields only a few threads, all hand-harvested.

Common pairings

a pinch of saffron saffron rice saffron-colored

saffroned past tense, saffrons plural, saffrons singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Can you complete this real example?

The paella got its golden color from a pinch of _____.

Traced back through Old French safran and Medieval Latin safranum to Arabic za'faran, ultimately from Aramaic.