Linoleum
/lɪˈnoʊliəm/noun
A durable floor covering made from linseed oil, cork dust, and other materials.
Did you know?The word was coined in the 19th century from Latin linum (“flax”) + oleum (“oil”), because the material was originally made using oxidized linseed oil.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kʷel-
“to turn, revolve”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁el-
“to anoint, smear with oil”
Latin
Latin
linum
“flax, linen”
Latin
Latin
oleum
“olive oil, oil”
1850s
English
linoleum
“a floor cloth or floor covering made from linseed oil and other materials”
Modern English
English
linoleum
“a resilient floor covering made from linseed oil, cork dust, and pigments”