linen

/ˈlɪnɪn/

//ˈlɪnɪn// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"linen" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“linen” has 6 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #12,805. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#12,805
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Thread or cloth made from flax fiber.

Corpus desk

Index EN-linen · linen · English

linen · rank #12,805 · 6 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #12,805
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 6 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH lantern

Nearest frequency peer: lantern (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “linen”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “linen” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

linen vs live
60% similar
linen vs link
60% similar
linen vs lion
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for linen
PropertyValue
Headwordlinen
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlɪnɪn/
Letters5
Frequency rank#12,805
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “linen”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).linenlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “lantern” (#12,804), “lookout” (#12,806), “knockout” (#12,803). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “linen” is #12,805. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 6 spelling variants around linen (IPA /ˈlɪnɪn/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #12,805 among 2,297 “L” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for linen, with forms such as "ilnen", "lienn", and "linenn". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "live", "link", "lion", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English lynnen, lynen, from Old English līnen (“linen", "made of flax”), from Proto-West Germanic *līnīn (“made of flax”), from Proto-Germanic *līną (“flax”), from Proto-Indo-European *līno- (“flax”), equivalent to line + -en. Cognate with Latin… The correct English form is linen, spelled L-I-N-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Thread or cloth made from flax fiber.
  2. 2
    Domestic textiles, such as tablecloths, bedding, towels, underclothes, etc., that are made of linen or linen-like fabrics of cotton or other fibers; linens.
  3. 3
    A light beige colour, like that of linen cloth undyed.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how linen appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Here, in the transept and choir, where the service was being held, one was conscious every moment of an increasing brightness; colours glowing vividly beneath the circular chandeliers, and the rows of small lights on the choristers' desks flashed and sparkled in front of the boys' faces, deep linen collars, and red neckbands.
  2. She put the freshly cleaned linens into the linen closet.

Etymology

From Middle English lynnen, lynen, from Old English līnen (“linen", "made of flax”), from Proto-West Germanic *līnīn (“made of flax”), from Proto-Germanic *līną (“flax”), from Proto-Indo-European *līno- (“flax”), equivalent to line + -en. Cognate with Latin līnum (“flax”) and thus also Linum. More at line.

This word in other languages

lino(Español)toile(Français)Leinen(Deutsch)roupa(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ilnen
  • lienn
  • linenn
  • linnen
  • llinen
  • lnien

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of linen - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ilnen2lienn2linenn1linnen1llinen1lnien2
Edit distance from "linen"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "linen"?
"linen" is spelled L-I-N-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɪnɪn/.
What does "linen" mean?
As a noun, "linen" means: Thread or cloth made from flax fiber.
What words are commonly confused with "linen"?
"linen" is commonly confused with "live", "link", "lion". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "linen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "linen" is /ˈlɪnɪn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "linen"?
From Middle English lynnen, lynen, from Old English līnen (“linen", "made of flax”), from Proto-West Germanic *līnīn (“made of flax”), from Proto-Germanic *līną (“flax”), from Proto-Indo-European *līno- (“flax”), equivalent to line + -en. Cognate ... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "linen", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

moose#12,809motel#12,811Omaha#12,820fares#12,774

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (6 here; floor ≥5).

reps6 variantsRosie6 variantsdarn6 variantssock6 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list