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caruncle

car·un·cle [ ˈker-ˌəŋ-kəl]

caruncle

noun

[ˈker-ˌəŋ-kəl]

Definition of caruncle

1 : a naked fleshy outgrowth (such as a bird's wattle)

2 : an outgrowth on a seed adjacent to the micropyle (see micropyle sense 1)

Recent Examples on the Web

//Here’s another fun fact: Male turkeys, called toms, have bald, featherless heads with all sorts of dangling skin flaps and knobs known as the snood, the wattle and caruncles.
— Jason Bittel, Washington Post, "Turkeys are much more than the main attraction at Thanksgiving," 17 Nov. 2019
//In the developing embryo, the beak originates near the caruncle and then gradually expands backward.
— Nicholas St. Fleur, New York Times, "How Dinosaurs Swapped Terrifying Teeth for Bird Beaks," 26 Sep. 2017
//Beaked groups like birds and turtles have caruncles, but snakes and nearly all lizards do not.
— Nicholas St. Fleur, New York Times, "How Dinosaurs Swapped Terrifying Teeth for Bird Beaks," 26 Sep. 2017

First Known Use of caruncle

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for caruncle

obsolete French caruncule, from Latin caruncula little piece of flesh, diminutive of caro flesh — more at carnal

Dictionary Entries near caruncle