Definition of ALBINISM

Did You Know?

An aberration occurring in humans and other vertebrates, albinism is an absence of pigment in the eyes, skin, hair, scales, or feathers caused by a genetic defect. Albino animals rarely survive in the wild because they lack the pigments that normally provide the protective coloration and a screen against the sun’s rays. Humans have long bred certain albino animals, such as rabbits, for their appearance. In humans with total albinism, the affected person has milk-white skin and hair; the iris of the eye appears pink and the pupil is red. Problems with vision are common in albinism. Total albinism occurs in all races in about one in 20,000 persons.

Examples of albinism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There’s even a Barbie doll that represents girls with albinism. — Shalwah Evans, Essence, "What I Double-Tapped This Weekend: The Gift Of Representation," 11 Nov. 2019 Winans, who played at Greenway High, has ocular albinism and nystagmus, a rare genetic condition that substantially limits his vision and makes his extremely sensitive to light. — Kent Somers, azcentral, "NAIA reverses course. Blind football player can wear tinted visor, play immediately," 23 Oct. 2019 Thank You for the Music Barber tells her story of growing up legally blind due to albinism in this cabaret show. — Los Angeles Times, "Theater in L.A. this week: Bill Irwin’s ‘On Beckett,’ Ethan Coen’s ‘A Play Is a Poem’ and more," 15 Sep. 2019 The most extreme of these, albinism, results in a total lack of pigment, totally white bodies, and poor eyesight. — Jeff Mauritzen, National Geographic, "Rare pale-colored penguin and seals spotted on remote island," 25 Apr. 2019 Surviving with albinism Albino wildlife may face obstacles in nature. — National Geographic, "What is albinism?," 6 Mar. 2019 Though many trees have regrown, scientists have found evidence of elevated levels of cataracts and albinism, and lower rates of beneficial bacteria, among some wildlife species in the area in recent years. — Erin Blakemore, National Geographic, "The Chernobyl disaster: What happened, and the long-term impacts," 17 May 2019 Advertising Opposition candidate Chakwera has vowed to end the killings of people with albinism within a month of taking office. — Gregory Gondwe, The Seattle Times, "Jobs, corruption top issues as Malawi votes for president," 19 May 2019 More amazing photography projects: Now watch what makes this woman with albinism feel beautiful: Follow Kaleigh on Instagram and Twitter, or subscribe to Allure's newsletter for daily beauty stories delivered right to your inbox. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "Exclusive: This Powerful Portrait Series Shows Body Positivity Is More Than a Trend," 28 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'albinism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Learn More about albinism

Dictionary Entries near albinism

Statistics for albinism

Cite this Entry

“Albinism.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/albinism. Accessed 26 January 2020.