/ lɪnt; NAmE / noun [ U ]
1.
( especially BrE ) a type of soft cotton cloth used for covering and protecting wounds
2.
( technical ) short fine fibres that come off the surface of cloth when it is being made
3.
( especially NAmE ) ( BrE usually fluff ) small soft pieces of wool, cotton, etc. that stick on the surface of cloth
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English lynnet flax prepared for spinning , perhaps from Old French linette linseed, from lin flax.