What does linoleum mean?
Linoleum is a hard-wearing, economical floor covering made from linseed oil combined with powdered wood, cork, or similar materials. It became especially popular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries because it was inexpensive, durable, water-resistant, and relatively easy to maintain. Linoleum can refer either to the material itself or to sheets of flooring made from it. Its use has declined since the mid-twentieth century as vinyl flooring, carpet, and other manufactured surfaces became more common, but it remains familiar in schools, kitchens, utility rooms, and older public buildings. In informal British English, it is often shortened to “lino.” The word is also notable in the history of English because it was coined specifically for the new material rather than inherited from an earlier English word.
nounA durable floor covering made of a mixture of linseed oil, wood or cork powder, and other materials. The word may also refer to the material itself or to a sheet of such covering.
- A floor covering made chiefly from linseed oil and powdered wood or cork, often sold in sheets or tiles.
- The material used to make such a floor covering.
"The kitchen had faded green linoleum that creaked beneath her shoes."
"A worn strip of linoleum ran along the corridor."
"The flooring is linoleum, which is easy to clean and inexpensive to replace."
The countable plural refers to individual floor coverings or sheets of linoleum; the material itself is normally used as a mass noun.
"Several old linoleums were stacked beside the doorway."
The word linoleum was coined from the Latin for “flax” and “oil,” reflecting a flooring originally made from linseed oil and powdered cork.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does linoleum come from?
The word was coined in 1873 by the English manufacturer Walter Walton as a trademark for his new oil-based floor covering. He formed it from the Latin linum, meaning “flax,” and oleum, meaning “oil,” referring to the linseed oil used in the manufacturing process. The compound is therefore a Latin-based English formation that names a material developed in the modern industrial era.
How linoleum is actually used
In informal British English, “lino” is a common short form. The material is normally used as a mass noun, while individual sheets or pieces may be treated as countable objects.