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linseed

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lin⋅seed

[lin-seed]
–noun
flaxseed.

Origin:
bef. 1000; ME linsed, OE līnsǣd. See line 1 , seed
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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lin·seed   (lĭn'sēd')   
n.  The seed of flax, especially when used as the source of linseed oil; flaxseed.

[Middle English linsed, from Old English līnsǣd : līn, flax (from Latin līnum; see lno- in Indo-European roots) + sǣd, seed; see seed.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

linseed 
O.E. linsæd "seed of flax," widely regarded in ancient times as a source of medical treatments, from lin "flax" (see linen) + sæd "seed."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: lin·seed
Pronunciation: 'lin-"sEd
Function: noun
: FLAXSEED
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Encyclopedia

linseed

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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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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