aril

ar·il  (rl)

n.

A fleshy, usually brightly colored cover of a seed, arising from the hilum or funiculus.

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[Medieval Latin arillus, grape seed.]

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ariled adj.

aril·late (-lt, -lt) adj.

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aril  (rl)

A fleshy seed cover which arises from the funiculus (the stalk of the ovule). Arils, such the red berry-like arils of the yew, are often brightly colored to attract animals who eat them and disperse the seeds. The spice mace is the aril of the nutmeg seed.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

aril - fleshy and usually brightly colored cover of some seeds that develops from the ovule stalk and partially or entirely envelopes the seed plant part, plant structure - any part of a plant or fungus