albino
/ælˈbaɪnoʊ/
noun
Origin
Latin
albus — white
Overview
Meaning Now
- A person or animal born with a congenital absence of pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes, which are characteristically white or pinkish.
- A plant characterized by a lack of chlorophyll, typically resulting in white leaves or tissues.
Literal older meaning
white person/being
Language path
Latin → Portuguese → English
Earliest form
albino
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The term was initially used by Portuguese voyagers in the 17th century to describe people they encountered in West Africa who had light skin and hair, which was contrasted against the majority of the population. It was later adopted into scientific and medical discourse to describe the genetic condition of albinism.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*albho-
“white”
- Latin
albus
“white”
- Portuguese
albino
“a white person”
Used by Portuguese traders to describe individuals with albinism in Africa.
- English
albino
“person or animal with congenital pigment deficiency”
Adopted into English from the Portuguese term.
Connections
Word parts
albin-
root
white
-o
suffix
noun marker
Related across languages
Spanish
albino
French
albinos
albino
Related words
Explore next
Related to albino
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.