transcription, транскрипция: [ ˈyōk, ˈyelk ( in cultivated speech, especially Southern ]
), also ˈyōlk, ˈyȯlk, ˈyälk, ˈyəlk noun
also yoke ˈyōk
Etymology: Middle English yolke, from Old English geoloca, from geolu yellow — more at yellow
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : the yellow spheroidal mass of stored food that forms the inner portion of the egg of a bird or reptile and is surrounded by the white — see egg illustration
b. archaic : the whole contents of an animal ovum consisting of a protoplasmic formative portion and an inert nutritive portion
c. : material stored in an animal ovum that supplies food to the developing embryo and consists chiefly of proteins, lecithin, and cholesterol
2.
[akin to Middle Dutch ieke yolk (of wool), Old English ēowu ewe]
: oily material in unprocessed sheep wool consisting of wool fat, suint, and debris
• yolked adjective
• yolky adjective