The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Saffron \Saf"fron\ (?; 277), n. [OE. saffran, F. safran; cf. It.
   zafferano, Sp. azafran, Pg. a[,c]afr[~a]o; all fr. Ar. & Per.
   za' far[=a]n.]
   1. (Bot.) A bulbous iridaceous plant (Crocus sativus)
      having blue flowers with large yellow stigmas. See
      Crocus.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The aromatic, pungent, dried stigmas, usually with part of
      the stile, of the Crocus sativus. Saffron is used in
      cookery, and in coloring confectionery, liquors,
      varnishes, etc., and was formerly much used in medicine.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. An orange or deep yellow color, like that of the stigmas
      of the Crocus sativus.
      [1913 Webster]

   Bastard saffron, Dyer's saffron. (Bot.) See Safflower.


   Meadow saffron (Bot.), a bulbous plant (Colchichum
      autumnale) of Europe, resembling saffron.

   Saffron wood (Bot.), the yellowish wood of a South African
      tree (Elaeodendron croceum); also, the tree itself.

   Saffron yellow, a shade of yellow like that obtained from
      the stigmas of the true saffron (Crocus sativus).
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Saffron \Saf"fron\ (?; 277), a.
   Having the color of the stigmas of saffron flowers; deep
   orange-yellow; as, a saffron face; a saffron streamer.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Saffron \Saf"fron\, v. t.
   To give color and flavor to, as by means of saffron; to
   spice. [Obs.]
   [1913 Webster]

         And in Latyn I speak a wordes few,
         To saffron with my predication.          --Chaucer.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

saffron
    n 1: Old World crocus having purple or white flowers with
         aromatic pungent orange stigmas used in flavoring food
         [syn: saffron, saffron crocus, Crocus sativus]
    2: dried pungent stigmas of the Old World saffron crocus
    3: a shade of yellow tinged with orange [syn: orange yellow,
       saffron]

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary:

Saffron
   Heb. karkom, Arab. zafran (i.e., "yellow"), mentioned only in
   Cant. 4:13, 14; the Crocus sativus. Many species of the crocus
   are found in Palestine. The pistils and stigmata, from the
   centre of its flowers, are pressed into "saffron cakes," common
   in the East. "We found," says Tristram, "saffron a very useful
   condiment in travelling cookery, a very small pinch of it giving
   not only a rich yellow colour but an agreable flavour to a dish
   of rice or to an insipid stew."