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linter

American  
[lin-ter] / ˈlɪn tər /

noun

  1. linters, short cotton fibers that stick to seeds after a first ginning.

  2. a machine for removing lint from cloth.


linter British  
/ ˈlɪntə /

noun

  1. a machine for stripping the short fibres of ginned cotton seeds

  2. (plural) the fibres so removed

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of linter

An Americanism dating back to 1730–40; lint + -er 1


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The Pentagon, which also seeks to minimize its dependency on foreign countries, is working to boost its stocks of linter supplies and capacity to process guncotton.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

The U.S. grows most of its linters domestically—but wants to significantly boost cotton linter production and increase its capacity to convert it into nitrocellulose.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

Mr. Peakslow was ahead of the boys; and they thought he must have reached the linter.

From The Young Surveyor; or Jack on the Prairies by J. T. (John Townsend) Trowbridge

Now the seed, free of all else, is carried by another elevator and endless screw conveyor to the "linter."

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 647, May 26, 1888 by Various

"We all thought you was under the linter; and they was all workin' so hard—as if they had been our best friends—to get you out."

From The Young Surveyor; or Jack on the Prairies by J. T. (John Townsend) Trowbridge

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