lint

1 of 2

noun

ˈlint How to pronounce lint (audio)
Synonyms of lintnext
1
a
: a soft fleecy material made from linen usually by scraping
b
: fuzz consisting especially of fine ravelings and short fibers of yarn and fabric
2
: a fibrous coat of thick convoluted hairs borne by cotton seeds that yields the cotton staple
lintless
ˈlint-ləs How to pronounce lint (audio)
adjective
linty
ˈlin-tē How to pronounce lint (audio)
adjective

linty

2 of 2

adjective

ˈlintē How to pronounce linty (audio)
-er/-est
: like lint : full of or covered with lint

Synonyms of lint

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of lint in a Sentence

Noun I always have lint in my pocket. The clothes dryer was clogged with lint.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
This kit makes both jobs simple with tools for cleaning up to 15-foot vents with flexible rods, specialty brushes that fit inside lint traps, and tweezers to reach into all the nooks and crannies. — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026 The website Pocket-lint earlier reported on the Fire TV increases. — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026 The cloths in this 24-pack are lint-free, soft, and non-abrasive. — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 19 Aug. 2026 Many of us know how to clean a dryer lint trap, but many washing machines have filters of their own, too. — Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lint

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Middle English

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of lint was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing lint

Rhymes for lint

See All Rhymes for lint

Browse Nearby Words

linstock
lint
lint bells
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lint. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

Medical Definition

lint

noun
ˈlint How to pronounce lint (audio)
1
: a soft fleecy material used for poultices and dressings for wounds and made from linen usually by scraping
2
British : sterile cotton cloth used for dressings

More from Merriam-Webster on lint

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lint

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All