safranine Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any of a class of chiefly red organic dyes
    saffranine; safranin.

WordNet

Saf"ra*nine noun
Etymology
So called because used as a substitute for safranin.
Definitions
  1. (Chem.) An orange-red nitrogenous dyestuff produced artificailly by oxidizing certain aniline derivatives, and used in dyeing silk and wool; also, any one of the series of which safranine proper is the type.

Webster 1913