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

An albino raccoon named Cricket reaches through the wires of its cage to grab an animal cracker, an appetizer treat right before the evening meal. —Blake Farmer, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2026

An albino deer appears to be living among the wild deer population in Farmington Hills, Michigan. —Paula Wethington, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026

Adjective

The animals sent back included 11 lemurs, an albino Burmese python, giraffes, a pack of sheep, a pair of sacred ibises, two llamas, tamarins, a kookaburra, a gibbon, capuchins, several parrots, three ground hornbills, three cockatoos, a serval, a Poitou donkey, and a macaw. —Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025

One mobile, a cluster of white leaf shapes strung along long horizontal arcs, has the aloof grace of an albino peacock, turning with a gavotte rhythm. —Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025

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

Rhymes for albino

• afterglow
• akimbo
• aliquot
• allegro
• amigo
• apropos
• audio
• bungalow
• calico
• calypso
• cameo
• ceo

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