English
linseed
Linseed comes from Old English līnsǣd ‘seed of flax’, from Proto-Germanic *līnǭ ‘line, rope, flaxen cord, thread’, and ultimately from *līną ‘flax’.
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*līną‘flax’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*līnǭ‘line, rope, flaxen cord, thread’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*līnāreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150līn‘flax’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150līnsǣd‘seed of flax’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500linseed
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*līną‘flax’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*līnǭ‘line, rope, flaxen cord, thread’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*līnāreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150līn‘flax’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150līnsǣd‘seed of flax’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500linseed
- Englishtodaysame form
Proto-Indo-European *ley- ‘to elude, avoid, shrink from’
Proto-Germanic *linnaną ‘to turn, move aside, avoid’
Proto-West Germanic *linnan ‘to stop, cease’
Old English linnan ‘to cease from, desist, lose, yield up’
Middle English linnen ‘to stop or end’
English lin
Proto-Indo-European *seh₁- ‘to sow’
Proto-Germanic *sēdą
Proto-West Germanic *sād
Old English sēd ‘seed’
Middle English seed
English seed
Linked words
through Proto-Germanic *līną ‘flax’
through Old English līn ‘flax’
Today it means
noun The seed of the flax plant, which yields linseed oil.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *līną / linseed