aril

American  

[ar-il] / ˈær ɪl /

noun

Botany.

1. a usually fleshy appendage or covering of certain seeds, as of the bittersweet, Celastrus scandens, or the nutmeg.

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aril British  

/ ˈærɪl /

noun

1. an appendage on certain seeds, such as those of the yew and nutmeg, developed from or near the funicle of the ovule and often brightly coloured and fleshy

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aril Scientific  

/ ăr′əl /

1. 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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• arilloid
  adjective
• arillate
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of aril

1785–95; < New Latin arillus; Medieval Latin: grape seed, probably erroneously for armillus, with same sense; compare Upper Italian dialect armella, arma kernel, pit of a fruit, Italian animella edible insides of an animal < Latin anima literally, spirit (hence, the insides of a thing), with -illa diminutive suffix; see anima

Related Words

• chaff
• pod
• rind