linen
noun · adjective
Simple meaning
Thread or cloth made from flax fiber.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
linuhnSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈlɪnən
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
uncountable
Thread or cloth made from flax fiber.
countable
Domestic textiles, such as tablecloths, bedding, towels, underclothes, etc., that are made of linen or linen-like fabrics of cotton or other fibers; linens.
A light beige colour, like that of linen cloth undyed.
adjective
Made from linen cloth or thread.
Having the colour linen, light beige.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B1 · Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- General and technical use
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Thread or cloth made from flax fiber.
Used this way, linen is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use linen
- “The crisp linen tablecloth felt smooth and cool to the touch.”
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A high-quality paper made of linen fibers or with a linen finish.
Linens for use in the bathroom.
Linen or cotton articles for a bed (as sheets and pillowcases).
Personal matters that could be embarrassing if made public.
Drygoods for household use that are typically made of white cloth.
Linens for the dining table.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
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Words can change meaning depending on context.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.