albumen

American  

[al-byoo-muhn] / ælˈbyu mən /

noun

1. the white of an egg.

2. Botany. the nutritive matter around the embryo in a seed.

3. Biochemistry. albumin.

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albumen British  

/ -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

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albumen Scientific  

/ 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.

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Etymology

Origin of albumen

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

Explanation

The clear, gooey part of an egg that turns white when cooked is called albumen. It's what gives meringues their fluffy texture and cakes their moisture. The word albumen comes from the Latin word albus, meaning "white." When cooked, an egg's albumen, which surrounds the yolk, turns white. In fact, the albumen of an egg is called the "egg white." Albumen is high in protein. The type of protein in albumen is also called albumen, often spelled albumin. That type of water-soluble protein is in other things, too, like blood, muscle, and milk. In plants, albumen is the nutritive matter inside seeds. The albumen in bird and reptile eggs provides protection and nourishment to the embryo of a fertilized egg.

Example Sentences

For ravens, the eggs provide a nutritious meal, packed with calcium and albumen.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2026

"It produced an amazing image that indicated that the egg, apart from being intact - which is incredible enough - also retained its liquid inside, presumably deriving from the yolk, albumen etc," said Mr Biddulph.

From BBC • Feb. 11, 2024

An egg is but an albumen — alternating layers of protein and water, making up the "white" — and a yolk.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2022

The insects eke out an austere existence by eating decaying plants that blow in with the wind and slurping sea foam, which contains a proteinaceous compound called albumen.

From Science Magazine • Mar. 20, 2019

If the birds of the North are born with a migratory instinct fused into the albumen of eggs, then the military families of America develop the same instinct out of necessity.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy