vitelline

[ vi-tel-in, -een, vahy- ]

adjective

1. of or relating to the egg yolk.
2. having a yellow color resembling that of an egg yolk.

vitelline

/ -aɪn; vɪˈtɛlɪn /

adjective

1. of or relating to the yolk of an egg

   the vitelline gland

2. having the yellow colour of an egg yolk

Word History and Origins

Origin of vitelline¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English word from Medieval Latin word vitellīnus. See vitellus, -ine ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of vitelline¹

C15: from Medieval Latin vitellīnus, from Latin vitellus the yolk of an egg; see vitellus

Example Sentences

They observed that interactions between the embryo and the vitelline membrane provided a source of mechanical force.

From Nature

The human ovum is a flattened spherical cell, made up of a very delicate cell-wall, called the vitelline membrane; outside this is a comparatively thick membrane, the zona pellucida, which is properly not a part of the cell.

From Project Gutenberg

The eggs are small; the diameter of recently-deposited eggs is about 1.3 mm. and that of the vitelline membrane is about 1.5 mm.

From Project Gutenberg

The only membrane enclosing the individual eggs is the vitelline membrane.

From Project Gutenberg

They are without the organs of nutrition, &c., which characterize their parents, but the ovum nearly always possesses, stored up within its protoplasm, a greater or less quantity of vitelline matter or food-yolk, while the spermatozoon possesses in almost all cases the power of locomotion.

From Project Gutenberg