flax

noun, often attributive \ ˈflaks \

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Definition of flax

1 : any of a genus (Linum of the family Linaceae, the flax family) of herbs; especially : a slender erect annual (L. usitatissimum) with blue flowers commonly cultivated for its bast fiber and seed

2 : the fiber of the flax plant especially when prepared for spinning

3 : any of several plants resembling flax

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flaxy

play \ˈflak-sē\ adjective

See flax defined for English-language learners

See flax defined for kids

Recent Examples of flax from the Web

Raw Strawberry Matcha Oatmeal 3/4 cup raw oats 1 tablespoon chia seeds 1 tablespoon flax seeds 1 cup nut milk (your choice on type) 1/3 teaspoon Healing Butterfly Matcha Green Tea Powder Fresh strawberries to taste Agave or maple syrup to taste 1.

— lauren delgado, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Healing Butterfly spices up matcha with tasty flavors," 4 June 2018
Breakfast is millet with flax, almonds and hemp milk.

— jen murphy, WSJ, "She Hits New Heights to Get More Flexible," 24 Mar. 2018
Woven in Portugal from super-soft Belgian flax, these sheets have been sold out for months and at one point even had a 5,000 person-long waitlist.

— lyndsey matthews, Good Housekeeping, "Those Brooklinen Sheets With a 5,000 Person Waitlist Are Finally Back in Stock," 27 Apr. 2018
Roth went with gray Belgian flax linen curtains to match the modern color scheme of the home ($119, West Elm).

— danielle fox, ELLE Decor, "House Tour: How One New Yorker Achieved Timeless Style In A Rented Loft," 16 Feb. 2018
Whipped ricotta and a super-fast buckwheat groat crumble (just groats, flax and sesame seeds tossed with a bit of maple syrup and toasted) took it there with creaminess and crunch.

— chris morocco, Bon Appetit, "These Gluten-Free Waffles with Chocolate Satisfy the Kid in All of Us," 25 Jan. 2018
Recipes run the gamut and might include Jen Garner’s Chocolate Blueberry #fab4smoothie, with collagen, almond butter, spinach, flax and other nutritious ingredients.

— kathryn romeyn, The Hollywood Reporter, "Jennifer Garner's Trainer Launched a Wellness App that Uses Artificial Intelligence," 9 Apr. 2018
And Yield10 Bioscience, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, has modified flax to boost its omega-3 content.

— megan molteni, WIRED, "Crispr’d Food, Coming Soon to a Supermarket Near You," 30 Mar. 2018
Protein-rich grains, such as millet, quinoa and buckwheat, are a staple, as are flax, almonds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds.

— jen murphy, WSJ, "She Hits New Heights to Get More Flexible," 24 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'flax.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of flax

Middle English, from Old English fleax; akin to Old High German flahs flax, Latin plectere to braid — more at ply

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

FLAX Defined for English Language Learners

flax

noun

Definition of flax for English Language Learners

: a plant that has blue flowers and that is grown for its fiber and its seed
: the fiber of the flax plant

FLAX Defined for Kids

flax

noun \ ˈflaks \

Definition of flax for Students

: a plant with blue flowers that is grown for its fiber from which rope and linen is made and for its seed from which oil and livestock feed are obtained