Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of various bulbous plants of the genus Colchicum, such as the autumn crocus.
  • noun The dried ripe seeds or corms of the autumn crocus, both of which yield colchicine.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun countable Any of several flowers of the genus Colchicum
  • noun uncountable, medicine The dried seed of saffron (Crocus) used as an analgesic

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin, a plant with a poisonous root, from Greek kolkhikon, meadow saffron, after Kolkhos, Colchis.]

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  • Citrullus colocynthus, also known as 'Meadow Saffron', reputed to soothe rheumatism and reduce swelling.

    August 19, 2008