crocus
/ˈkrəʊkəs
/noun (plural crocuses or croci /ˈkrəʊkʌɪ/ /ˈkrəʊkiː/)
A small spring-flowering Eurasian plant of the iris family, which grows from a corm and bears bright yellow, purple, or white flowers. See also autumn crocus.
- Genus Crocus, family Iridaceae.
- Your hyacinths, tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and grape-hyacinths can be saved for planting in the garden.
- Spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips, crocuses, hyacinths, daffodils, and irises are universal symbols of spring.
Origin
Late Middle English (also denoting saffron, obtained from a species of crocus): via Latin from Greek krokos, of Semitic origin and related to Hebrew karkōm and Arabic kurkum.