"state or condition of being an albino," by 1821; see albino + -ism. Alternative form albinoism is recorded by 1835.
Entries linking to albinism
albino n.
"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).
-ism
word-forming element making nouns implying a practice, system, doctrine, etc., from French -isme or directly from Latin -isma, -ismus (source also of Italian, Spanish -ismo, Dutch, German -ismus), from Greek -ismos, noun ending signifying the practice or teaching of a thing, from the stem of verbs in -izein, a verb-forming element denoting the doing of the noun or adjective to which it is attached. For distinction of use, see -ity. The related Greek suffix -isma(t)- affects some forms.