albumen

[ al-byoo-muhn ]

noun

the white of an egg.
Botany. the nutritive matter around the embryo in a seed.

Biochemistry. albumin.

Origin of albumen

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

Words that may be confused with albumen

albumen , albumin

Words Nearby albumen

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

British Dictionary definitions for albumen

albumen

/ (ˈælbjʊmɪn, -mɛn) /

noun

the white of an egg; the nutritive and protective gelatinous substance, mostly an albumin, that surrounds the yolk
a rare name for endosperm

a variant spelling of albumin

Origin of albumen

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for albumen

albumen

[ ăl-byōō′mən ]

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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