a. [ad. L. albēscent-em pr. pple. of albēsc-ĕre to grow white; f. alb-us white.] Growing or becoming white; shading or passing into white.
1831. W. & M. Howitt, Seasons, 306. The galaxy stretches its albescent glow athwart the northern sky.
1868. Darwin, Var. An. & Plants, I. vi. 184. The croup being blue instead of snow-white; but the tint varies, being sometimes albescent.
