Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.12875

c10.12875

**SAFFRON**, s. Arab. *za‘farān*. The true saffron (*Crocus sativus*, L.) in India is cultivated in Kashmīr only. In South India this name is given to turmeric, which the Portuguese called *açafrão da terra* (‘country saffron.’) The Hind. name is *haldi*, or in the Deccan *halad*, [Skt. *haridra*, *hari*, ‘green, yellow’]. Garcia de Orta calls it *croco Indiaco*, ‘Indian saffron.’ Indeed, Dozy shows that the Arab. *kurkum* for turmeric (whence the bot. Lat. *curcuma*) is probably taken from the Greek *κρόκος* or obl. *κρόκον*. Moodeen Sherif says that *kurkum* is applied to saffron in many Persian and other writers.