yolk
/joʊk/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.04 in modern English
11
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The yellow, spherical part of an egg that is surrounded by the white albumen, and serves as nutriment for the growing young.
Countable; Uncountable
verb
To produce yolk.
Example Sentences
- "To make meringue, you have to separate the white from the yolk."
- "Wool-growers appear to entertain different opinions in regard to the effect which yolk has on the value of the fleece. Some seem to suppose that the aggregate amount which they receive for their wool is increased from the greater weight which it possesses by being charged with this substance[…]"
- "This is surprising in that these females were yolking up their clutch of eggs"
Etymology
From Middle English yolke, yelke, ȝolke, ȝelke, from Old English ġeolca, ġeoloca, ġioleca (“the yellow part, yolk”), derived from Old English ġeolu (“yellow”) + -ca (diminutive suffix).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *ǵʰelh₃-, yolke, ġeolca, ġeolu
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /joʊk/
- British English: /jəʊk/
Usage
Inflected Forms
yolks (plural)
yelk (alternative, obsolete)
yolks (present, singular)
yolking (participle, present)
yolked (participle, past)
yolked (past)
Derived Forms
yolkless
yolklike