crocus
noun
cro·cus ˈkrō-kəs 
plural crocuses
1
a
plural also crocus or croci ˈkrō-ˌkē
-ˌkī,
-ˌsī
: 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 sense 1a
2
: a dark red ferric oxide used for polishing metals
Did you know?
A low-growing plant with a corm, the crocus belongs to the iris family. There are about 75 species of crocus. They are native to the Alps, southern Europe, and the Mediterranean and are widely grown for their cuplike blooms in early spring or fall. The spring-flowering sorts have a floral tube so long that the ovary is below ground, sheltered from climatic changes. Saffron comes from a species of crocus that is native to western Asia. The alpine crocus is the chief ancestor of the common garden crocus.
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Purple crocus flowers bloomed in groves of holm oak, and broom shrubs burst with yellow blooms. 
Mary Winston Nicklin, Washington Post, 13 May 2022 There is lovely acidity and notable persistence (the finish is quite long), while there are subtle notes of basil and yellow crocus in the finish. Tom Hyland, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 But then, all its hope lies in Anne’s face, as uncompromising as an early crocus. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 6 May 2022 In other places, the transformation from winter to spring is noted by the bloom of the first crocus or the arrival of the first robin. Tribune News Service, cleveland, 9 Mar. 2022 At the base of Mount Karkom, named in Hebrew for a desert crocus, there is evidence that ancient migration trails converged here and that cultic rituals took place in the area. New York Times, 31 Dec. 2021 Commercial crocus growers will harvest the entire flower and then remove the stamens. oregonlive, 20 Nov. 2021 Scientists expose them to a chemical called colchicine, which is derived from the crocus flower; this causes the embryos’ chromosomes to double rather than divide normally. Helen Sullivan, The New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2021 Squirrels are drawn to disturbed soil and are partial to tulip and crocus bulbs. Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2021 See More
Mary Winston Nicklin, Washington Post, 13 May 2022 There is lovely acidity and notable persistence (the finish is quite long), while there are subtle notes of basil and yellow crocus in the finish. Tom Hyland, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 But then, all its hope lies in Anne’s face, as uncompromising as an early crocus. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 6 May 2022 In other places, the transformation from winter to spring is noted by the bloom of the first crocus or the arrival of the first robin. Tribune News Service, cleveland, 9 Mar. 2022 At the base of Mount Karkom, named in Hebrew for a desert crocus, there is evidence that ancient migration trails converged here and that cultic rituals took place in the area. New York Times, 31 Dec. 2021 Commercial crocus growers will harvest the entire flower and then remove the stamens. oregonlive, 20 Nov. 2021 Scientists expose them to a chemical called colchicine, which is derived from the crocus flower; this causes the embryos’ chromosomes to double rather than divide normally. Helen Sullivan, The New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2021 Squirrels are drawn to disturbed soil and are partial to tulip and crocus bulbs. Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, the saffron plant, from Latin, from Greek krokos, of Semitic origin; akin to Akkadian kurkānū saffron
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing crocus
Kids Definition
crocus
noun
cro·cus ˈkrō-kəs
: a small plant having grasslike leaves and colorful flowers that bloom in the spring
Medical Definition
crocus
noun
cro·cus ˈkrō-kəs
plural crocuses
1
plural also crocus or croci -ˌkē, -ˌkī, -ˌsī : any of a large genus (Crocus) of perennial herbs of the iris family (Iridaceae)
: any of a large genus (Crocus) of perennial herbs of the iris family (Iridaceae) 2
: saffron sense 1