Saffron n. : A bulbous iridaceous plant (Crocus sativus) having blue flowers with large yellow stigmas. See Crocus.

Saffron n. : 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.

Saffron n. : An orange or deep yellow color, like that of the stigmas of the Crocus sativus.

Saffron a. : Having the color of the stigmas of saffron flowers; deep orange-yellow; as, a saffron face; a saffron streamer.

Saffron v. t. : To give color and flavor to, as by means of saffron; to spice.

Example:
Is the Saffron in Saffron rice purely for the color, or is it the main source of flavor?

Taxonomy
saffron, crocin, saffron crocus, Crocus sativus, stigmas, corms, flowers, cultivation, Willard, safranal, dyes, picrocrocin, Kashmiri, saffron threads, spice, Crocus, aroma, absorbance.

Defination from the web:
saffron crocus, Crocus sativus, from the anthers of which the spice saffron is obtained. ... The word saffron stems from the Latin word safranum via the 12th-century Old French term safran. ... Saffron crocus flowers in Osaka Prefecture, Japan ...