Safflower

//ˈsæfˌlaʊə(ɹ)// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A cultivated thistle-like plant, Carthamus tinctorius, family Asteraceae, now grown mainly for its oil. countable, uncountable

    "Safflower is unusual: if you add alkalis to the dye broth it is yellow; with acids it goes a beautiful crimson pink which is the colour of the original ‘red’ tape once tied around legal documents in England […]."

  2. 2
    thistlelike Eurasian plant widely grown for its red or orange flower heads and seeds that yield a valuable oil wordnet

Etymology

From Middle French safleur; originally from Arabic أَصْفَر (ʔaṣfar, “yellow”) but influenced by safran (“saffron”) and fleur (“flower”).

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