albumen

[ al-byoo-muhn ]

noun

1. the white of an egg.
2. Botany. the nutritive matter around the embryo in a seed.
3. Biochemistry. albumin.

albumen

/ -mɛn; ˈælbjʊmɪn /

noun

1. the white of an egg; the nutritive and protective gelatinous substance, mostly an albumin, that surrounds the yolk
2. a rare name for endosperm
3. a variant spelling of albumin

albumen

/ ăl-byo̅o̅′mən /

1. The white of the egg of certain animals, especially birds and reptiles, consisting mostly of the protein albumin. The albumen supplies water to the growing embryo and also cushions it. Albumen is used commercially in making wine, vinegars, lithographs, dyes, and pharmaceuticals.

Word History and Origins

Origin of albumen¹

1590–1600; < Late Latin, equivalent to alb ( us ) white, with stem in -ū- + -men noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of albumen¹

C16: from Latin: white of an egg, from albus white