crocus


Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

cro·cus

 (krō′kəs)
n. pl. cro·cus·es or cro·ci (-sī, -kī)
1.
a. Any of various perennial Eurasian herbs of the genus Crocus, having grasslike leaves and showy, variously colored flowers.
b. Any of several other plants, such as the autumn crocus.
2. A grayish to light reddish purple.
3. A dark red powdered variety of iron oxide, Fe2O3, used as an abrasive for polishing.
4. A coarse, loosely woven material like burlap, once used to make sacks for shipping saffron. See Note at gunnysack.

[Middle English, saffron, from Old French, from Latin, from Greek krokos; perhaps from a source akin to Arabic kurkum, saffron.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

crocus

(ˈkrəʊkəs)
n, pl -cuses
1. (Plants) any plant of the iridaceous genus Crocus, widely cultivated in gardens, having white, yellow, or purple flowers. See also autumn crocus
2. (Elements & Compounds) another name for jeweller's rouge
adj
(Colours) of a saffron yellow colour
[C17: from New Latin, from Latin crocus, from Greek krokos saffron, of Semitic origin]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cro•cus

(ˈkroʊ kəs)

n., pl. -cus•es.
1. any of various small bulbous plants of the genus Crocus, of the iris family, cultivated for their showy, spring-blooming flowers.
2. an orange yellow; saffron.
3. a polishing powder consisting of iron oxide.
[1350–1400; Middle English < Latin < Greek krókos saffron, crocus < Semitic; compare Arabic kurkum saffron]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.crocus - any of numerous low-growing plants of the genus Crocus having slender grasslike leaves and white or yellow or purple flowerscrocus - any of numerous low-growing plants of the genus Crocus having slender grasslike leaves and white or yellow or purple flowers; native chiefly to the Mediterranean region but widely cultivated
iridaceous plant - any bulbous plant of the family Iridaceae
genus Crocus - a monocotyledonous genus of the family Iridaceae
Crocus sativus, saffron, saffron crocus - Old World crocus having purple or white flowers with aromatic pungent orange stigmas used in flavoring food
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
زَعْفَرانزَعْفران زراعي
krokus
krokus
krookus
šafran
krókusz
dverglilja, krókus
クロッカス
크로커스
crocus
krokas
krokuss
brânduşă
krókus
krokus,žafran
krokus
ดอกโครคัส
giống nghệ tây

crocus

[ˈkrəʊkəs] N (crocuses (pl)) → azafrán m
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

crocus

[ˈkrəʊkəs] ncrocus m
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

crocus

nKrokus m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

crocus

[ˈkrəʊkəs] ncroco
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

crocus

(ˈkrəukəs) noun
a plant growing from a bulb and having brilliant yellow, purple or white flowers.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

crocus

زَعْفَران krokus krokus Krokus κρόκος flores silvestres, planta del azafrán krookus crocus šafran croco クロッカス 크로커스 krokus krokus krokus açafrão, croco крокус krokus ดอกโครคัส çiğdem giống nghệ tây 番红花
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
References in classic literature ?
On one of the door-posts at this inn, was a tin plate, whereon was inscribed in characters of gold, 'Doctor Crocus;' and on a sheet of paper, pasted up by the side of this plate, was a written announcement that Dr.
Doctor Crocus is here, gentlemen, the celebrated Dr.
Upon which Doctor Crocus, who is a tall, fine-looking Scotchman, but rather fierce and warlike in appearance for a professor of the peaceful art of healing, bursts out of the concourse with his right arm extended, and his chest thrown out as far as it will possibly come, and says:
Whereupon Doctor Crocus and I shake hands; and Doctor Crocus looks as if I didn't by any means realise his expectations, which, in a linen blouse, and a great straw hat, with a green ribbon, and no gloves, and my face and nose profusely ornamented with the stings of mosquitoes and the bites of bugs, it is very likely I did not.
Doctor Crocus makes no verbal answer, but gives me an imploring look, which says so plainly 'Will you ask me that again, a little louder, if you please?' that I repeat the question.
Doctor Crocus looks round upon the crowd to observe the effect he produces, rubs his hands, and says, in a very loud voice:
As hinds or heifers in spring time, when sated with pasture, bound about a meadow, so they, holding up the folds of their lovely garments, darted down the hollow path, and their hair like a crocus flower streamed about their shoulders.
There followeth, for the latter part of January and February, the mezereon-tree, which then blossoms; crocus vernus, both the yellow and the grey; primroses, anemones; the early tulippa; hyacinthus orientalis; chamairis; fritellaria.
I, for one, freely confess that I don't know what to do with her any more than if she was one of those strange, outlandish birds you used to bring home from foreign parts." And Aunt Plenty gave a perplexed shake of the head which caused great commotion among the stiff loops of purple ribbon that bristled all over the cap like crocus buds.
"There it is!" cried she, and stretched her hands out over a little blue crocus, that hung quite sickly on one side.
Some must have the flowering crocus, the wood-starring dogwood, the voice of bluebird--even so gross a reminder as the farewell handshake of the retiring buckwheat and oyster before they can welcome the Lady in Green to their dull bosoms.
They like crocus and hyacinth time best of all, as they are partial to a bit of colour, but tulips (except white ones, which are the fairy-cradles) they consider garish, and they sometimes put off dressing like tulips for days, so that the beginning of the tulip weeks is almost the best time to catch them.