cro·cus  (krō'kəs) 
n.
pl. cro·cus·es or cro·ci (-sī, -kī)
Any of various perennial Eurasian herbs of the genus Crocus, having grasslike leaves and showy, variously colored flowers. Any of several other plants, such as the autumn crocus.
A grayish to light reddish purple. A dark red powdered variety of iron oxide, Fe2O3, used as an abrasive for polishing. A coarse, loosely woven material like burlap, once used to make sacks for shipping saffron. See Regional Note at gunnysack.
[Middle English, saffron, from Old French, from Latin, from Greek krokos; perhaps from a source akin to Arabic kurkum, saffron.] |
