albino

1 of 2

noun

al·​bi·​no al-ˈbī-(ˌ)nō 

plural albinos

: an organism exhibiting deficient pigmentation

especially : a human being who is congenitally deficient in pigment and usually has a milky or translucent skin, white or colorless hair, and eyes with pink or blue iris and deep-red pupil

albino

2 of 2

adjective

: exhibiting the deficient pigmentation characteristic of albinos

albino sharks

The Draize test commonly uses six rabbits (preferably of the albino strain because of the clarity of their red eyes) to test a substance for eye irritancy.

—Rachel Urquhart

Examples of albino in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The 14-year-old albino Burmese python named Virginia was found crawling through a garden near 146th Street and the Monon Trail. —Arika Herron, Axios, 11 July 2024

According to the park service, the calf is leucistic and not albino. —Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 1 July 2024

Adjective

Yang tells me about his favorite Sonny Angel: Snake, who has an albino serpent coiled on his head like a turban. —Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 8 July 2024

In February, an albino child from Tanzania was killed and mutilated for the very same reason. —Evan Fraser, Foreign Affairs, 16 Aug. 2015

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Spanish & Portuguese; Portuguese albino, borrowed from Spanish, noun derivative of albino, adjective, "lacking in pigment," from albo "white" (borrowed from Latin albus) + -ino -ine entry 1 — more at album

Adjective

borrowed from Spanish, "lacking in pigment" — more at albino entry 1

Note: Alternatively the adjective could be from attributive use of the noun.

First Known Use

Noun

1708, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1785, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

albino

noun

al·​bi·​no al-ˈbī-nō 

plural albinos

: an organism deficient in coloring matter

especially : a human being or animal that is born with a lack of pigment and usually a milky skin, white or colorless hair, and eyes with pink or blue iris and deep red pupil

albinism

ˈal-bə-ˌniz-əm

al-ˈbī-

noun

albino adjective

Medical Definition

albino

noun

al·​bi·​no al-ˈbī-(ˌ)nō 

plural albinos

: an organism exhibiting deficient pigmentation

especially : a human being who is congenitally deficient in pigment and usually has a milky or translucent skin, white or colorless hair, and eyes with pink or blue iris and deep-red pupil

albinic

-ˈbin-ik 

adjective