Crocus Flower Etymology. Crocus plural crocuses or croci or crocus A perennial flowering plant of the genus Crocus in the Iridaceae family. Crocus flower gives us a spice called Saffron and it comes in about 80 different species of this flower.
Middle English the saffron plant from Latin from Greek krokos of Semitic origin. When we talk about the etymology of the Crocus flower it actually has several etymological meanings. The saffron crocus has distinctive orange stigmas which symbolize Crocus everlasting and unrequited love for Smilax.
In Latin it originated from the adjective crocatus meaning saffron yellow.
According to cultural and geographical evidence the Old Persian and Pahlavi name of this plant is Karkam which has been derived from dialects of Iran. Late 14c from Latin crocus from Greek krokos crocus. Akin to Akkadian kurkānū saffron Learn More About crocus Time Traveler for crocus The first known use of crocus was in the 14th century. Plant Biologyany of the small bulbous plants of the genus Crocus of the iris family cultivated for their showy solitary flowers which are among the first to bloom in the spring.