linen

[lin-uhn]

noun

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.

adjective

1. made of linen.

   a linen jacket.

linen

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• lineny adjective
• half-linen adjective
• underlinen noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of linen¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of linen¹

Old English linnen, ultimately from Latin līnum flax, _line ²

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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

see wash one's dirty linen in public.

Example Sentences

Dressed in baggy jeans and a billowy linen shirt, she sips a green juice as a takeout bag from Sqirl sits next to her on a picnic table.

From Los Angeles Times

She added that "there's a limit to what you can do" from outside cabinet and "what I don't think members want is for us to be airing our dirty linen in public".

From BBC

The Duke of Sussex has said his "conscience is clear" following his revealing memoir Spare, and that he did not air his "dirty linen in public."

From BBC

The team calls them “protective yet open,” employing claddings that balance strength and softness — textured stucco, lime-washed concrete, brushed steel and linen fabric.

From Los Angeles Times

He often mixed silk and wool or silk and linen for a softer alternative to the heavy, stiff gabardines and worsted wools that were typical for men’s suits and jackets.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bedding 
• cloth 
• lingerie