Definition of "hilum" [hi•lum]

• The scar on a seed, such as a bean, indicating the point of attachment to the funiculus. (noun)
• The nucleus of a starch grain. (noun)
• The area through which ducts, nerves, or blood vessels enter and leave a gland or organ. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The hilum is a small pore through which water can pass directly to the embryo; it and the seed coat control the rate at which dry beans and peas absorb water and soften during cooking."
• "The area where the seed was attached to the ovary, known as the hilum"
• "This scar, also called hilum, is where the seed was attached to the seed vessel."