autumn crocus

noun

: an autumn-blooming colchicum (Colchicum autumnale)

Examples of autumn crocus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web 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

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'autumn crocus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 28 Mar. 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
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