[a. L. albūmen (albumin-) white of an egg, f. albus white.]
1. The white of an egg.
1599. A. M., trans. Gabelhouer’s Bk. Physic, 52/1. Take … the Albumen of 4 Egges.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., There is most albumen in the obtuse end of an egg.
1869. Huxley, in Fortn. Rev., Feb., 135. The white or albumen of an egg.
2. The substance that exists nearly pure in the white of an egg, and forms a constituent of animal solids and fluids, and of the tuberous or fleshy roots, and seeds of plants. See ALBUMIN.
1800. Henry, Epit. Chem. (1808), 304. The white of an egg affords a good example of animal albumen.
1822. Imison, Sci. & Art, II. 138. Albumen is the principle constituent of the serum of blood.
1858. Carpenter, Veg. Phys., § 32. These compounds,… gluten, fibrin, albumen, caseine, etc., form the basis of all vegetable and animal tissues.
3. Bot. The substance interposed between the skin and embryo of many seeds, of which it usually constitutes the eatable part. It varies greatly in consistency and amount, and is sometimes entirely wanting.
1677. Grew, Anat. Plants, IV. iii. § 9. The Albumen or clear Liquor out of which they are bred.
1830. Lindley, Nat. Syst. Bot., Introd. p. xxxii. The substance which surrounds the embryo is called the ALBUMEN.
1857. Henfrey, Elem. Bot., § 298. The body of the seed is composed either of the embryo alone, or of the embryo imbedded in a mass of tissue, called the endosperm, perisperm, or albumen.
