al·fil·a·ri·a or al·fil·e·ri·a  (āl-fĭl'ə-rē'ə)  n. An annual Mediterranean plant (Erodium cicutarium) having pinnately dissected leaves and small pink or purple flowers. It is a widespread weed and is used for spring forage in the western United States. Also called filaree, pin clover. [American Spanish alfilerillo, a cactus with leaves ending in sharp points, from Spanish, diminutive of alfiler, pin, from Arabic al-ḫilāl, the thorn : al-, the + ḫilāl, thorn (from ḫalla, to pierce; see ḫll in Semitic roots).] |