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

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

This view of St Paul's Cathedral looming beyond the Thames-side wharves is an albumen print from a wet collodion negative.

From BBC • Jul. 21, 2015

Because the glomeruli filter the blood based mostly on particle size, large elements like blood cells, platelets, antibodies, and albumen are excluded.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

This twisting tightened the chalzas and kept the yolks suspended in the middle of the albumen so that they did not stick to the inner shell.

From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George