lint

[ lint ]

noun

1. minute shreds or ravelings of yarn; bits of thread.
2. staple cotton fiber used to make yarn.
3. cotton waste produced by the ginning process.
4. a soft material for dressing wounds, procured by scraping or otherwise treating linen cloth.

lint

/ lɪnt /

noun

1. an absorbent cotton or linen fabric with the nap raised on one side, used to dress wounds, etc
2. shreds of fibre, yarn, etc
3. staple fibre for making cotton yarn

Derived Forms

• ˈlinty, adjective

Other Words From

• lintless adjective
• de·lint verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of lint¹

1325–75; Middle English, variant of linnet; compare Middle French linette linseed, Old English līnet- flax (or flax-field) in līnetwige lintwhite

Word History and Origins

Origin of lint¹

C14: probably from Latin linteus made of linen, from līnum flax

Example Sentences

Microplastics encompass numerous chemical compounds, come in all shapes, and range in size from visible bits of lint to the nano-scale.

From Popular-Science

That kind of pipe should not have any screws because lint builds up on the screws, and that can cause lots of problems.

From Washington Post

Washing and drying laundry removes little bits of lint and dye from fabrics.

From Science News For Students

Animals exposed to plastic-tainted dryer lint had broken DNA.

From Science News For Students

Most research on environmental risks from the release of laundry lint has focused on plastic fibers.

From Science News For Students

Meanwhile, the group claims, Somers acted dismissive and at one point in the meeting picked lint off his jacket.

From The Daily Beast

Mostly lint, but sometimes an opening for a book floats to the surface.

From The Daily Beast

Makeup is reapplied, lint rollers are re-rolled, and string is cut from the inside of a sock.

From The Daily Beast

Fergan accepted Simonne's offer and sat down upon a bench, while the young woman looked for the lint in her pockets.

From Project Gutenberg

Quin asked, brushing a speck of lint from the toe of his shining shoe.

From Project Gutenberg

It is painful but thorough; it is spread on lint and renewed daily.

From Project Gutenberg

There, get me a bit of lint,” he continued, “and you shall see how easily and well I will do this.

From Project Gutenberg

I sent Frank some lint the other day, and a bundle of it for Mr. Halsey is by me.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cord
• cotton
• filament
• silk
• strand
• string
• wire
• wool
• yarn