albino

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   born with albinism and therefore having little or no melanin pigmentation

   An albino deer with a white coat appeared at the edge of the forest.

2. 2
   noun

   an animal or person with albinism; when referring to a person, the phrase 'person with albinism' is usually preferred

   The rescued python is an albino whose pale coloring makes it especially conspicuous.

Borrowed from Portuguese or Spanish albino, ultimately from Latin albus, 'white,' with a Romance diminutive or adjectival suffix. European writers used the word for people with albinism before it broadened to animals. In current respectful usage, person with albinism is generally preferred to the noun albino for a human being.

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