# caruncle

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈka.ɹəŋ.kəl/

## Definitions
1. A small, fleshy excrescence that is a normal part of an animal's anatomy.
2. Clipping of lacrimal caruncle: the red prominence at the inner corner of the eye.
3. A colored waxy or oily outgrowth near the micropyle of some seeds, attractive to ants which aid the seed's dispersal.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French caruncule, from Latin caruncula (“a little piece of flesh”), diminutive of carō (“flesh”). Doublet of caruncula.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/caruncle