a. and sb. [a. F. belléric, more correctly belliric, ad. (ultimately) Arab. balīlaj, f. Pers. balīlah.] The astringent fruit of Terminalia Bellerica, also called Bastard Myrobalan, imported from India for the use of calico-printers, and used for the production of a permanent black.
1757. Parsons, in Phil. Trans., L. 403. Distinguished … by its round figure; and called the belleric Myrobalan.
1808. Colebrooke, Dict. Sanscr., 90. Beleric Myrobalan.
1858. R. Hogg, Veg. Kingd., 635. The Belleric is … the size of a nutmeg and very astringent.
