Did you know?
An aberration occurring in humans and other vertebrates, albinism is an absence of pigment in the eyes, skin, hair, scales, or feathers caused by a genetic defect. Albino animals rarely survive in the wild because they lack the pigments that normally provide the protective coloration and a screen against the sun’s rays. Humans have long bred certain albino animals, such as rabbits, for their appearance. In humans with total albinism, the affected person has milk-white skin and hair; the iris of the eye appears pink and the pupil is red. Problems with vision are common in albinism. Total albinism occurs in all races in about one in 20,000 persons.
Examples of albinism in a Sentence
Samuel Sanders, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Sep. 2024
Pigment disorders, such as albinism, can occur when too much or too little melanin is produced.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 1 Aug. 2024
No or very little eumelanin or pheomelanin (albinism) tends to produce pale skin/white hair.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 1 Aug. 2024
Last year, Wyoming’s Bear River State Park saw the birth of another white bison—this animal’s coloration likely comes from cattle genes mixed into its lineage rather than albinism or leucism, and its mother is also a pale white hue.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for albinism 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'albinism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near albinism
Cite this Entry
“Albinism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/albinism. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.
Copy Citation
Share