Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "albino" shine mutum ko dabba da aka haifa tare da rashin launin launi a cikin fata, gashi, da idanu, yana haifar da launin fata ko fari da kuma sanin hasken rana. Yana faruwa ne ta hanyar maye gurbin kwayoyin halitta wanda ke hana samar da melanin, pigment da ke da alhakin canza launin fata, gashi, da idanu.