linoleum

li·no·leum

noun, often attributive \lə-ˈnō-lē-əm, -ˈnōl-yəm\

Definition of LINOLEUM

1

: a floor covering made by laying on a burlap or canvas backing a mixture of solidified linseed oil with gums, cork dust or wood flour or both, and usually pigments

2

: a material similar to linoleum

Origin of LINOLEUM

Latin linum flax + oleum oil — more at oil

First Known Use: 1878

Rhymes with LINOLEUM

petroleum, trifolium

linoleum

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Smooth-surfaced floor covering made from a mixture of oxidized linseed oil, resins, and other substances such as binder, fillers, and pigments, applied to a felt or canvas backing. Linoleum is flexible, warm, and unaffected by ordinary floor temperatures, and it does not readily burn. It is specially hardened to resist indentation and is not susceptible to damage from fats, oils, greases, or organic solvents.