Spicing things up with crocuses and saffron

A "crocus" is a perennial flower from the Latin word "crocus" ≈ "crocus" from the modern Greek word "κρόκος" (KRO-kos) ≈ "crocus".

The ancient Greek word "κρόκος" is a loan word from the semitic.

The Hebrew word "כרכם" (kar-kom) ≈ "crocus". כרכם - crocus

The Arabic word "كُرْكُم" (kurkum) ≈ "crocus".

The spice saffron is obtained from the dried stamens (threads) of the "crocus sativus" flower. The color as that of orange-red and is used for flavoring and coloring of certain foods (that would otherwise lack color).

The word "saffron" is from the Medieval Latin word "safranum" ≈ "saffron" which is from the Arabic word "زَعْفَرَان‎" (za faran) ≈ "saffron". The word "crocus" (Greek and Latin) or "saffron" (other languages) appears once in the LXX (Septuagint), along with some other spices (saved for a future time).

In this verse appear the names of the spices "frankincense" and "myrrh".

Song of Solomon 4:14

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KJV: Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:

Hebrew: נרד וכרכם קנה וקנמון עם כל עצי לבונה מר ואהלות עם כל ראשי בשמים׃

Greek: ναρδος και κροκος καλαμος και κινναμωμον μετα παντων ξυλων του λιβανου σμυρνα αλωθ μετα παντων πρωτων μυρων

Latin: nardus et crocus fistula et cinnamomum cum universis lignis Libani murra et aloe cum omnibus primis unguentis

Wycliffe: narde, and saffrun, an erbe clepid fistula, and canel, with alle trees of the Liban, myrre, and aloes, with alle the beste oynementis.

Luther: Narden mit Safran, Kalmus und Zinnamen, mit allerlei Bäumen des Weihrauchs, Myrrhen und Aloes, mit allen besten Würzen.

Russian: нард и шафран, аир и корица со всякими благовонными деревами, мирра и алой со всякими лучшими ароматами;

Wycliffe adds "an erbe clepid fistula" as "an herb of clipped hollow reed" as an expounding of the Latin "fistula".

The Latin word "fistula" ≈ "pipe, tube, hollow reed".
The Middle English word "erbe" ≈ "herb".

An apparently unrelated word with the same Greek prefix (at the start of the word) appears in Leviticus in the LXX.

Leviticus 11:29

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KJV: These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,

Hebrew: וזה לכם הטמא בשרץ השרץ על הארץ החלד והעכבר והצב למינהו׃

Greek: και ταυτα υμιν ακαθαρτα απο των ερπετων των ερποντων επι της γης η γαλη και ο μυς και ο κροκοδειλος ο χερσαιος

Latin: hoc quoque inter polluta reputabitur de his quae moventur in terra mustela et mus et corcodillus singula iuxta genus suum

Wycliffe: Also these thingis schulen be arettid among defoulid thingis, of these that ben moued on erthe; a wesele, and mows, and a cocodrille, `alle bi her kynde;

Luther: Diese sollen euch auch unrein sein unter den Tieren, die auf Erden kriechen: das Wiesel, die Maus, die Kröte, ein jegliches mit seiner Art;

The modern Greek word "κροκόδειλος" (kro-KO-thee-los) ≈ "crocodile" and may come from the words for "pebbles" and "worm".

More: Alligators and crocodiles