In
alchemy,
albedo is one of the four major stages of the
magnum opus; along with
nigredo,
citrinitas and
rubedo. It is a Latinicized term meaning "whiteness". Following the
chaos or
massa confusa of the
nigredo stage, the alchemist undertakes a purification in albedo, which is literally referred to as
ablutio – the washing away of impurities. In this process, the subject is divided into two opposing principles to be later coagulated to form a
unity of opposites or
coincidentia oppositorum during rubedo.