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lino

lino

Noun

This term is a colloquial clipping of linoleum and carries a domestic, utilitarian connotation. In the context of flooring, it often evokes images of mid-century kitchens or budget-friendly renovations, suggesting a surface that is practical and easy to clean but lacks the luxury of hardwood or stone.

In an artistic context, the word refers specifically to the medium of linocut printing. It describes a material that is softer and more pliable than wood, allowing for fluid, curving lines. Because it is an uncountable mass noun in both its flooring and artistic senses, it requires partitive phrases such as a piece of lino or a sheet of lino when referring to a specific unit.

Meanings

Nounlino

A shortened form of linoleum, referring to a durable floor covering made from a mixture of solidified linseed oil, pine rosin, and ground cork.

The kitchen floor was covered in a cheap yellow lino.

Nounlino

A soft, synthetic material used for making relief prints, often as a cheaper or more accessible alternative to woodblocks.

The art student spent the afternoon carving a design into a sheet of lino.

Examples

The kitchen floor is just old yellow lino.

We should replace the lino in the hallway before the guests arrive.

I need to buy some lino and a set of gouges for my art project.

School Life

The hospital corridors were lined with sterile white lino.

Health

I wonder if this lino is soft enough to carve easily.

Just mop the lino and it will look brand new.

The artist carefully inked the lino block before pressing it onto the paper.

That cheap lino is peeling up at the corners.

Let us use lino instead of wood for these prints to save money.

School Life

Last Updated: May 2026•Report an Error