1. a seed covering or appendage, typically brightly colored and fleshy, that develops from the seed stalk in certain plants
Usage: botanical term; commonly found in fruits like nutmeg and pomegranate

Examples

• The nutmeg seed is surrounded by a bright red aril.
• Pomegranate arils are the juicy, edible seed coverings that give the fruit its distinctive taste.
• The aril of the yew tree is the only non-toxic part of an otherwise poisonous plant.
• Botanists study the aril to understand seed dispersal mechanisms in plants.
• The scarlet aril attracts birds, which helps spread the seeds naturally.