linen

1 of 2

adjective

lin·​en ˈli-nən 

1

: made of flax

2

: made of or resembling linen

linen

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: cloth made of flax and noted for its strength, coolness, and luster

b

: thread or yarn spun from flax

2

: clothing or household articles made of linen cloth or similar fabric

3

: paper made from linen fibers or with a linen finish

Examples of linen in a Sentence

Noun

She washes the linen every week.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Snag these popular linen sheets ahead of fall to ensure a cool and comfortable night of sleep, and shop more Quince bedding picks below. —Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025

The linen blend, a combo of 55% European flax and 45% long staple cotton, is a more affordable alternative to the 100% linen option. —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 26 Sep. 2025

All other fabrics significantly trail cotton in popularity, including polyester and silk (each 3 percent), wool, linen and Lycra (each 1 percent), and rayon (less than 1 percent). —Catherine Salfino, Sourcing Journal, 26 Sep. 2025

The range of 70 vintage styles will include a leather aviator jacket, a yellow raincoat circa 1992, a denim jumpsuit and a stone Irish linen shirt. —Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English līnen, from līn flax, from Latin linum flax; akin to Greek linon flax, thread

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing linen

• bed linen(s)
• table linen

Rhymes for linen

• kinin
• ninon
• pinon
• cholecystokinin
• cytokinin
• diazinon
• pangasinan

Kids Definition

linen

noun

lin·​en

ˈlin-ən

1

: smooth strong cloth or yarn made from flax

2

: household articles (as tablecloths or sheets) or clothing (as shirts or underwear) that were once often made of linen

linen adjective