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vitellus

vitellus

9.9
The yellow part inside an egg that feeds the developing baby animal
  • noun
  • /vɪˈtɛləs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : vitelo
  • The vitellus provides essential nutrients for the developing embryo within the egg.

Examples

  • In bird eggs, the vitellus is easily visible as the large yellow portion.

  • Researchers studied how the vitellus changes during the incubation process.

  • The vitellus provides essential nutrients for the developing embryo.

  • Birds rely on the vitellus to nourish their eggs.

  • In bird eggs, the vitellus is easily visible as the large yellow portion.

  • The vitellus provides essential nutrients for the developing embryo within the egg.

  • Researchers studied how the vitellus changes during the incubation process.

Synonyms

yolk
vsvitellus
41 1.0

The yellow part inside an egg that holds most of its food

defines the stored food that nourishes an embryo in developing animals
egg yolk
vsvitellus
17 1.0

The yellow part inside an egg that feeds a developing chick and makes food richer

focuses on stored nutrients for embryo growth in birds and reptiles
vitelline
vsvitellus
  • Specialized
9.9

The yolk inside an egg or the yolk sac that feeds an embryo

is stored nutritive material that nourishes an embryo especially in birds and reptiles

Surface Forms

vitellus singular
vitelli plural

Etymology

A helpful way to remember the word vitellus is that it comes from Latin and was understood as 'little life' or the yolk, and it is like vital and the root vita, which mean 'life'. So vitellus is the egg's yolk, the part that gives food and life to the developing embryo.