Vitelline Membrane
/ˈvɪtəlɪn ˈmɛmˌbreɪn/noun
A thin protective layer surrounding the yolk of an egg, separating it from the egg white.
Did you know?Vitelline comes from Latin vitellus, meaning “yolk,” while membrane traces to Latin membrana, originally referring to a thin animal tissue or skin.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
vitellus
“Yolk; also a diminutive form related to vitulus, “calf””
Classical Latin
Latin
membrāna
“Thin skin, parchment, or bodily tissue”
17th Century
New Latin
vitellinus
“Of or relating to the yolk”
17th–18th Century
Scientific Latin
membrāna vitellī
“Membrane of the yolk”
19th Century
Scientific English
vitelline membrane
“The membrane surrounding an egg yolk”
Modern English
English
vitelline membrane
“The protective layer enclosing the yolk of an egg”