linen

American  

[lin-uhn] / ˈlɪn ən /

noun

linens plural

1. fabric woven from flax yarns.

2. Often linens. bedding, tablecloths, shirts, etc., made of linen cloth or a more common substitute, as cotton.

3. yarn made of flax fiber.

4. thread made of flax yarns.

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adjective

1. made of linen.

   a linen jacket.

idioms

1. wash one's dirty linen in public, to discuss in public one's private scandals, disagreements, or difficulties.

linen British  

/ ˈlɪnɪn /

noun

1. 1. a hard-wearing fabric woven from the spun fibres of flax

   2. ( as modifier )

      a linen tablecloth

2. yarn or thread spun from flax fibre

3. clothes, sheets, tablecloths, etc, made from linen cloth or from a substitute such as cotton

4. See linen paper

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linen More Idioms  

1. see wash one's dirty linen in public.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• underlinen
  noun
• half-linen
  adjective
• lineny
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• linens
  plural

Etymology

Origin of linen

before 900; Middle English lin ( n ) en (noun, adj.), Old English linnen, līnen (adj.) made of flax, equivalent to līn flax (< Latin līnum; see line ²) + -en -en ²

Explanation

Linen is a type of fabric that's sturdy, cool, and absorbent. If you're going to a summer wedding, you should consider wearing a white linen suit. If you're going on a job interview, it's probably not such a great idea. Linen is frequently used in summery dresses and shirts, curtains, bags, pillowcases and sheets, towels. and tablecloths. It's heavy and substantial but stays breathable and fresh when you wear it on a hot day. Linens is sometimes used to mean "bedding or towels," or the things you'd keep in a linen closet. Linen comes from the Old English word linin, "made of flax," from lin, "flax fibers or linen thread."

Example Sentences

At the same time, Chinese companies are making a big play for the U.S. consumer when it comes to systemically unimportant stuff, like bubble tea and linen pants.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

Tattered sweaters, linen T-shirts, parachute shirts and “bondage suits” are printed with slogans that read “Only anarchists are pretty” and “Anarchist punk gang.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

“A good pair of denim and a linen blazer over that would be really cute. Whites also look good with clay.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

Displays have included rarities like a 1792 linen shirt belonging to a son of Marie Antoinette and the Yves Saint-Laurent mid-1960s Mondrian dress that belonged to French singer Juliette Greco.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

He’d put his hand on my shoulder, to gently move me aside and started digging in the linen cabinet.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

Related Words

• bedding
• cloth
• lingerie