CROCUS Definition & Meaning

crocus

[ kroh-kuhs ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

plural crocuses.

any of the small, bulbous plants of the genus Crocus, of the iris family, cultivated for their showy, solitary flowers, which are among the first to bloom in the spring.
the flower or bulb of the crocus.
a deep yellow; orangish yellow; saffron.
Also called crocus martis [mahr, -tis]. a polishing powder consisting of iron oxide.

crocus

/ ˈ��əʊ��ə�� /

noun

any plant of the iridaceous genus Crocus, widely cultivated in gardens, having white, yellow, or purple flowers See also autumn crocus
another name for jeweller's rouge

adjective

of a saffron yellow colour

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

��c�ܲ�� adjective

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of crocus¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin < Greek ��ó��ǲ� saffron, crocus < Semitic; compare Arabic kurkum saffron

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of crocus¹

C17: from New Latin, from Latin crocus, from Greek krokos saffron, of Semitic origin

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

With their annual income at their fingertips, a family of saffron farmers pluck delicate crimson stigmas from crocus flowers grown high in India’s Kashmir Valley.

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There were two crocuses in the snow, sure harbingers of spring.

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Ludmila shows me purple crocuses and bluebells in neat rows and the green shoots of daffodils.

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In the meantime, residents were clinging to signs that the cold would eventually retreat: a stray crocus in the yard.

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For others, it’s when they first realize they’ve finished dinner and it’s still light out, or when the first crocuses poke up through the snow.

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