autumn crocus

noun

: an autumn-blooming colchicum (Colchicum autumnale)

Examples of autumn crocus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Some plants can poison pets if eaten: autumn crocus, cyclamen, kalanchoe, daffodils and true lilies can be fatal, while others are more benign. Sara Okeefe, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024 At once delicate and flamboyant, beautiful but somewhat creepy, the gloriosa lily, a.k.a. Gloriosa superba — which is not a true lily at all but a species of the autumn crocus family Colchicaceae — adds a showy, if vaguely menacing, glamour to floral arrangements and gardens. Amanda Fortini Kyoko Hamada, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2023 Colchicums are more expensive than autumn crocus but cheaper than a deer fence. Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, 4 Sep. 2019 The idea that colchicine—a poison drawn from the seeds and stem of the lovely autumn crocus—could be used to prevent complications in patients undergoing heart surgery was an intoxicating one. Clifton Leaf, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1726, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of autumn crocus was in 1726

Dictionary Entries Near autumn crocus

Cite this Entry

“Autumn crocus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/autumn%20crocus. Accessed 6 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

autumn crocus

noun
au·​tumn cro·​cus ˌȯt-əm-ˈkrō-kəs How to pronounce autumn crocus (audio)
: an autumn-blooming herb (Colchicum autumnale) of the lily family (Liliaceae) that is the source of medicinal colchicum
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!