Lint Was Surgical Dressing Before It Was Fluff
Lint is fine fibre fluff. For centuries the word named scraped linen used to dress wounds.
Lint is fine fibre that collects on clothing or in machinery. Its older meaning was medical: linen scraped into a soft fluffy mass and packed into wounds as a dressing, standard practice for centuries. The word comes from the same root as *linen* and ultimately from Latin *linum*, flax. The modern sense of household fluff is later, and the *lint filter* in a tumble dryer exists because accumulated fibre is a genuine fire risk.
- Fibre fluff. *Lint on a jumper.*
- A wound dressing (archaic). *Lint.*
- Lint filter. *The lint filter.*
- Linen — the same root. *Linen.*
- Latin — *linum*, flax. *The root.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | lint | Lint. |
| Adjective | linty | Linty. |
| Compound | lint-free | Lint-free. |
| Related | linen | Linen. |
| Latin | linum | Flax. |
- Brush the lint off.Clothing.
- Lint once dressed wounds.History.
- Empty the lint filter.Safety.
Why lint filters matter
- Fibres shed from clothing during tumbling
- They accumulate in the airflow path
- Dry fibre ignites easily at high temperature
- Blocked filters also reduce efficiency sharply
- Dryer fires are a recognised and preventable cause of house fires
Middle English *lynt*, from the root of *linen*, ultimately Latin *linum*, flax.
Was lint really used on wounds?
Yes. Linen was scraped into a soft mass and packed into wounds as a dressing, standard practice for centuries.
Why does a tumble dryer need a lint filter?
Accumulated dry fibre restricts airflow and ignites easily, making it a recognised cause of house fires.