Becoming white or whitish; having a tendency to turn pale or white.
From Latin albicans, the present participle of albicare meaning 'to become white.' This word entered English through scientific and medical terminology, particularly in botany and zoology.
You'll find this word in botanical descriptions of plants that gradually whiten as they mature—it describes a process, not just a state, which is why it's related to the Latin present participle form.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.