flax

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See also: Flax

English

A field of flax (Linum usitatissimum)

Etymology

From Middle English flax, from Old English fleax, from Proto-Germanic *flahsą, from Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ- (“to plait”). Cognate with Old Frisian flax, Dutch vlas, Old High German flahs (German Flachs); the Northern Germanic (and most likely the Gothic too) stem is different.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /flæks/
  • (dialectal, obsolete) IPA(key): /flɛks/
  • Audio (Southern England)(file)
  • Rhymes: -æks

Noun

flax (countable and uncountable, plural flaxes)

  1. A plant of the genus Linum, especially Linum usitatissimum, which has a single, slender stalk, about a foot and a half high, with blue flowers. Also known as linseed, especially when referring to the seeds.
  2. The fibers of Linum usitatissimum, grown to make linen and related textiles.
  3. The flax bush, a plant of the genus Phormium, native to New Zealand, with strap-like leaves up to 3 metres long that grow in clumps.

Usage notes

The plural flaxes is used to indicate multiple species or varieties of flax; otherwise, flax is uncountable.

Derived terms

Translations

plant native to New Zealand — see phormium

See also

References

  1. ^ Etymology in the Deutsches Wörterbuch of Jakob und Wilhelm Grimm: "however, Old Norse hör ... The Gothic word has not been transmitted, but one might guess harvs"
  2. ^ Bingham, Caleb (1808) “Improprieties in Pronunciation, common among the people of New-England”, in The Child's Companion; Being a Conciſe Spelling-book ‎, 12th edition, Boston: Manning & Loring, →OCLC, page 75.

Anagrams

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Inherited from Old English fleax, from Proto-West Germanic *flahs, from Proto-Germanic *flahsą, from Proto-Indo-European *plek-.

Pronunciation

Noun

flax (uncountable)

  1. Flax (Linum usitatissimum) or its fibers
  2. Linen; fabric made out of flax
  3. Flax or straw used as a firestarter; tinder

Related terms

Descendants

  • English: flax

References

Swedish

Noun

flax c

  1. (colloquial) (unexpected) good luck

Declension

Declension of flax 
Uncountable
Indefinite Definite
Nominative flax flaxet — —
Genitive flax flaxets — —

See also

References

Wikious
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Sagapedia