flaxseed

flax·seed   (flāks'sēd')    n.  The seed of flax, the source of linseed oil and emollient medicinal preparations.

Main Entry: flax·seed
Pronunciation: 'flak(s)-"sEd
Function: noun
: the seed of flax that is used medicinally as a demulcent and emollient ininflammatory conditions of the respiratory, intestinal, and urinary passages and that yields linseed oil called also linseed

flaxseed

seed of a variety of the common flax, Linum usitatissimum, grown for its yield of linseed oil and meal. This variety of flax has shorter straw, more branches, and more seeds than other varieties that are grown primarily for linen fibre. It is cultivated principally in Argentina, Canada, the United States, Russia, and Ukraine.

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