"accessory covering of seeds," 1783, from Modern Latin arillus, from Medieval Latin arilli, Spanish arillos "dried grapes, raisins," from Latin aridus "dry" (see arid).
Entries linking to aril
arid adj.
1650s, "dry, parched, without moisture," from French aride "dry" (15c.) or directly from Latin aridus "dry, arid, parched," from arere "to be dry" (from PIE root *as- "to burn, glow"). The figurative sense of "uninteresting" is from 1827. Related: Aridly; aridness.
*as-
also *es-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to burn, glow."
It forms all or part of: ardent; ardor; area; arid; aridity; aril; arson; ash (n.1) "powdery remains of fire;" azalea; potash; potassium.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit asah "ashes, dust;" Hittite hat- "to dry up;" Greek azein "to dry up, parch," azaleos "dry;" Latin aridus "parched, dry," ārēre "to be dry," āra "altar, hearth;" Armenian azazem "I dry up;" Old English æsce "ash," Old High German asca, Gothic azgo "ashes."