yolk

yolk

noun \ˈyōk, ˈyelk (in cultivated speech, especially Southern), also ˈyōlk, ˈyȯlk, ˈyälk, ˈyəlk\

Definition of YOLK

1

a : the yellow spheroidal mass of stored food that forms the inner portion of the egg of a bird or reptile and is surrounded by the white — see egg illustration

b archaic : the whole contents of an animal ovum consisting of a protoplasmic formative portion and an inert nutritive portion

c : material stored in an animal ovum that supplies food to the developing embryo and consists chiefly of proteins, lecithin, and cholesterol

2

[akin to Middle Dutch ieke yolk (of wool), Old English ēowu ewe] : oily material in unprocessed sheep wool consisting of wool fat, suint, and debris

— yolked adjective

— yolky adjective

Variants of YOLK

yolk also yoke \ˈyōk\

Origin of YOLK

Middle English yolke, from Old English geoloca, from geolu yellow — more at yellow

First Known Use: before 12th century

Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

Rhymes with YOLK

bloke, broke, choke, cloak, coke, croak, folk, hoke, joke, moke, oak, poke, Polk, roque, smoke, soak, soke, spoke, stoke, stroke, toke, toque, yogh, yoke

yolk

noun \ˈyōk\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of YOLK

: material stored in an ovum that supplies food to the developing embryo and consists chiefly of proteins, lecithin, and cholesterol