Linoleum Is Made From Linseed Oil
Lino is short for linoleum, a floor covering. Its name describes exactly what it is made of.
Lino is short for *linoleum*, a floor covering made from oxidised linseed oil mixed with cork dust and backed with jute. The name is a description: Latin *linum*, flax, and *oleum*, oil. Frederick Walton patented it in 1860 after noticing the rubbery skin that formed on drying linseed oil in a paint tin. The trademark was lost in a famous 1878 case, which found the word had become generic — one of the earliest such rulings.
- A floor covering. *Lino flooring.*
- Linoleum — the full word. *Linoleum.*
- Linseed oil. *Linseed oil.*
- Patented 1860. *By Frederick Walton.*
- Latin — *linum* and *oleum*. *The roots.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | lino | Lino. |
| Full form | linoleum | Linoleum. |
| Compound | linocut | A linocut. |
| Latin | linum | Flax. |
| Latin | oleum | Oil. |
- The kitchen has lino.Flooring.
- It is made from linseed oil.Material.
- The trademark lapsed in 1878.History.
Trademarks that became ordinary words
- Linoleum — lost its trademark in 1878
- Aspirin — generic in many countries
- Escalator — ruled generic in 1950
- Thermos — generic in the United States
- Trampoline and zipper — the same story
Short for *linoleum*, coined from Latin *linum*, flax, and *oleum*, oil.
What is linoleum made from?
Oxidised linseed oil mixed with cork or wood dust, pressed onto a jute backing. The name means flax oil.
Why is linoleum not a trademark?
A court ruled in 1878 that the word had become the ordinary name for the product, one of the earliest such decisions.