YOLK

yolk, vitellus

(noun) nutritive material of an ovum stored for the nutrition of an embryo (especially the yellow mass of a bird or reptile egg)

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

yolk (countable and uncountable, plural yolks)

The yellow, spherical part of an egg that is surrounded by the white albumen, and serves as nutriment for the growing young.

The grease in a sheep's fleece.

Source: Wiktionary


Yolk, n. Etym: [OE. yolke, yelke, ýolke, ýelke, AS. geoloca, geoleca, fr. geolu yellow. See Yellow.] [Written also yelk.]

1. The yellow part of an egg; the vitellus.

2. (Zoƶl.)

Definition: An oily secretion which naturally covers the wool of sheep. Yolk cord (Zoƶl.), a slender cord or duct which connects the yolk glands with the egg chambers in certain insects, as in the aphids.

– Yolk gland (Zoƶl.), a special organ which secretes the yolk of the eggs in many turbellarians, and in some other invertebrates. See Illust. of Hermaphrodite in Appendix.

– Yolk sack (Anat.), the umbilical vesicle. See under Unbilical.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

29 May 2025

CRITICAL

(adjective) characterized by careful evaluation and judgment; ā€œa critical readingā€; ā€œa critical dissertationā€; ā€œa critical analysis of Melville’s writingsā€


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Coffee Trivia

In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.

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