n.
- Biology. A fleshy naked outgrowth, such as a fowl's wattles.
- Botany. An outgrowth or appendage at or near the hilum of certain seeds, as of the castor-oil plant.
[Obsolete French caruncule, from Latin caruncula, diminutive of carō, flesh.]
caruncular ca·run'cu·lar (-kyə-lər) adj.carunculate ca·run'cu·late (-lĭt, -lāt') or ca·run'cu·lat'ed (-lā'tĭd) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
