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

Wearing loose-fitting clothes made of natural fibres like cotton or linen can keep you cooler than sleeping naked.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026

A bowl of pantry pasta that might otherwise look a little lonely suddenly looks downright lavish when it’s surrounded by warm rolls, a dish of olive oil and a basket lined with a linen napkin.

From Salon • Jun. 22, 2026

I told her I would take care of the towels and bed linen, etc.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 2026

It is “a lifestyle experience,” said owner Chad Ross: high security, linen and dining service, a gym and pickleball courts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Two meters down with shattered pottery covering his eyes and his body shrouded in white linen.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• bedding
• cloth
• lingerie