Flax is a plant with blue flowers. Its stem is used for making thread, rope, and cloth, and its seeds are used for making linseed oil.
flax in British English
(flæks)
noun
1.
any herbaceous plant or shrub of the genus Linum, esp L. usitatissimum, which has blue flowers and is cultivated for its seeds (flaxseed) and for the fibres of its stems: family Linaceae
2.
the fibre of this plant, made into thread and woven into linen fabrics
3.
any of various similar plants
4. Also called: harakeke New Zealand
a swamp plant producing a fibre that is used by Māoris for decorative work, baskets, etc
Word origin
Old English fleax; related to Old Frisian flax, Old High German flahs flax, Greek plekein to plait
flax in American English
(flæks)
adjective
1.
designating a family (Linaceae, order Linales) of dicotyledonous plants and shrubs usually havingnarrow leaves and five-part flowers
noun
2.
any of a genus (Linum) of the flax family; esp. a slender, erect annual plant (L. usitatissimum) with delicate, blue flowers: the seeds are used to make linseed oil, and the fibers of the stemare spun into linen thread
3.
the threadlike fibers of these plants, ready for spinning
4.
any of a number of flaxlike plants
Word origin
ME < OE fleax, akin to Ger flachs < IE base *plek-, to plait, interweave > L plectere, plicare, Ger flechten