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Glite Dictionary
caruncula

caruncula

9.9
A small soft growth on animals and plants, like a bird's wattle or a seed base
  • noun
  • /kəˈrʌŋkjələ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : carúncula
  • The turkey's caruncula became more prominent during mating season.

Examples

  • Botanists observed a bright red caruncula at the base of the seed.

  • The chicken has a bright red caruncula.

  • Some birds have a noticeable caruncula on their heads.

  • Some birds have multiple carunculas.

  • Botanists observed a bright red caruncula at the base of the seed.

  • The turkey's caruncula became more prominent during mating season.

  • Some birds have a noticeable caruncula on their heads.

Synonyms

outgrowth
vscaruncula
  • Specialized
1 6.0

A piece that sticks out from a living thing, for example a shoot or bony lump

is a small fleshy protuberance rather than any general projection
caruncle
vscaruncula
  • Specialized
9.9

A small soft growth on a bird or on a seed, like a turkey's wattle

is identical in sense but is an alternative form or name
enation
vscaruncula
  • Specialized
9.9

A small natural growth on a plant surface like a tiny leaf

is used for small fleshy protuberances not thin leaflike plant parts

Surface Forms

caruncula singular
carunculas plural
carunculae plural

Etymology

Caruncula comes from the Latin caro meaning 'flesh' plus a small ending -cula meaning 'little', so it originally meant 'little flesh'. That's why caruncula is used for a small, fleshy outgrowth on birds or near a seed, and you can remember caro by thinking of English carnivore ('meat eater').