What does croceus mean in Latin?

croceus, a adjective, means “saffron; yellow or red in color like saffron”.

How do you pronounce croceus?

In classical Latin, [ˈkrɔ.ke.ʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkrɔː.t͡ʃe.us].

adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective

croceus (feminine crocea, neuter croceum)

Classical[ˈkrɔ.ke.ʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈkrɔː.t͡ʃe.us]

Mille Verba core vocabulary

adjectiverelationalsaffron
[…], et praecipua sapore lagopus. Pedes leporino villo nomen hoc dedere cetero candidae, columbarum magnitudine. Non extra terram eam vesci facile, quando nec vita mansuescit et corpus ocissime marcescit. Est et alia nomine eodem, a coturnicibus magnitudine tantum differens, croceo unctu cibis gratissima.[…] , the lagopus (ptarmigan) is of culinary notice too. It derives its name from the appearance of its feet, they seem to be covered with hare's fur, it is otherwise white and the size of a dove. It is no easy task having them from their native country to our plate, as they would be taken lifeless and their body wither but too fast. Another bird is known by this name, only different from the quail by its size, it makes for a delicious dish with saffron sauce.77 CE – 79 CE, Plinius Maior, Naturalis Historia X.LXVIII.134
adjectiveyellow or red in color like saffron
Invitent croceis halantes floribus horti Et custos furum atque avium cum falce salignaMay gardens, fragrant with yellow flower, lure them [the bees] and Hellespontian Priap with his willow scythe the robbing bee and the birds keep away.c. 37 BCE – 30 BCE, Vergilius, Georgicon 4.109–111

colōre inter flāvum et rubrum, ut sōl oriēns.

croceus -a -um — in Mille Verba, Colōrēs

flāvus, aurō similis

croceus -a -um — in Metamorphoses I, ch. 19

singular
form	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	croceus	crocea	croceum
genitive	croceī	croceae	croceī
dative	croceō	croceae	croceō
accusative	croceum	croceam	croceum
ablative	croceō	croceā	croceō
vocative	crocee	crocea	croceum

plural
form	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	croceī	croceae	crocea
genitive	croceōrum	croceārum	croceōrum
dative	croceīs	croceīs	croceīs
accusative	croceōs	croceās	crocea
ablative	croceīs	croceīs	croceīs
vocative	croceī	croceae	crocea

crŏcĕus, a, um, adj. id.,

I. of or pertaining to saffron, saffron-.

I. Prop.: odores, Verg. G. 1, 56: flores, id. ib. 4, 109: tinctus, saffron-sauce, Plin. 10, 48, 68, § 134: color, id. 27, 10, 59, § 83.—

II. Transf., saffron-colored, yellow, golden: lutum, Verg. E. 4, 44: cubile, id. G. 1, 447: acanthus, id. A. 1, 649: chlamys, id. ib. 11, 775 al.: comae, Ov. A. A. 1, 530: honor, a saffron-tint, Sil. 8, 444.

Proto-Indo-European *-éyos Proto-Italic *-ejos Proto-Italic *-eos Latin -eus Latin croceus From crocum (“saffron”) + -eus (“-eous”).

Descendants

proper noun · masculinesecond declension

Croceus²

Croceus m sg (genitive Croceī)

masculinesingularYellow River, Huang He (a major river in northern China, passing through Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan and Shandong provinces as well as Ningxia and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regions)

A calque of Literary Chinese 黃河 (Huánghé).