Linseed
/ˈlɪn.siːd/noun
The seed of the flax plant, used for oil, food, and industrial purposes.
Did you know?Linseed comes from the same ancient root as linen and line, because flax was one of the plants that gave early societies fiber for weaving, measuring, and making cloth.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*lin-
“flax or linen fiber”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*linam
“flax, linen”
Old English
OE
līn
“flax; linen”
Old English
OE
sǣd
“seed, grain, fruit, offspring”
Middle English
ME
linseed
“the seed of flax”
Modern English
English
linseed
“the seed of the flax plant”