Adjacent Words

Crocus definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CROCUS, n. [Gr.]
1. Saffron, a genus of plants.
2. In chimistry, a yellow powder; any metal calcined to a red or deep yellow color.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: 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

Merriam Webster's

noun (plural crocuses) Etymology: Middle English, the saffron plant, from Latin, from Greek krokos, of Semitic origin; akin to Akkadian kurk?n? saffron Date: 14th century 1. a. plural also crocus or croci any of a genus (Crocus) of herbs of the iris family developing from corms and having solitary long-tubed flowers and slender linear leaves b. saffron 1a 2. a dark red ferric oxide used for polishing metals

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. (pl. crocuses) any dwarf plant of the genus Crocus, growing from a corm and having brilliant usu. yellow or purple flowers. Etymology: ME, = saffron, f. L f. Gk krokos crocus, of Semitic orig.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Rouge Rouge, n. [F.] 1. (Chem.) A red amorphous powder consisting of ferric oxide. It is used in polishing glass, metal, or gems, and as a cosmetic, etc. Called also crocus, jeweler's rouge, etc. 2. A cosmetic used for giving a red color to the cheeks or lips. The best is prepared from the dried flowers of the safflower, but it is often made from carmine. --Ure.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Crocus Cro"cus (kr[=o]"k[u^]s), n. [L., saffron, fr. Gr. kro`kos; cf. Heb. kark[=o]m, Ar. kurkum, Skr. ku[.n]kuma.] 1. (Bot.) A genus of iridaceous plants, with pretty blossoms rising separately from the bulb or corm. C. vernus is one of the earliest of spring-blooming flowers; C. 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.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(crocuses) Crocuses are small white, yellow, or purple flowers that are grown in parks and gardens in the early spring. N-COUNT