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albino (n.)
Related entries & more "a person of pale, milky complexion, with light hair and pink eyes," also used of an animal characterized by the same condition or a plant with white leaves or flowers, 1777, from Spanish or Portuguese albino, from Latin albus "white" (see alb). Used by Portuguese of white-spotted African negroes. Extended 1859 to animals having the same peculiarity. As an adjective form albinotic is modeled on hypnotic and other words from Greek; albinistic also is used. A female form, if one is still wanted, was albiness (1808).
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-ino word-ending in some English words from Spanish and Portuguese (albino, casino, etc.), the Spanish and Portuguese form of -ine (1), from Latin -inus/-inum.
Related entries & more white elephant (n.)"burdensome charge, inconvenient thing that one does not know how to get rid of," 1851, supposedly from the practice of the King of Siam of presenting one of the sacred albino elephants to a courtier who had fallen from favor; the gift was a great honor, but the proper upkeep of one was ruinously expensive.
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