Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

flax

/flæks/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.05 in modern English

Syllables
flax
IPA
/flæks/
14
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A plant of the genus Linum, especially Linum usitatissimum, which has a single, slender stalk, about a foot and a half high, with blue flowers. Also known as linseed, especially when referring to the seeds.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The fibers of Linum usitatissimum, grown to make linen and related textiles.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A flax bush, a plant of the genus Phormium, native to New Zealand, with strap-like leaves up to 3 metres long that grow in clumps.

Countable; Uncountable

name

A surname.

Etymology

From Middle English flax, from Old English fleax, from Proto-Germanic *flahsą, from Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ- (“to plait”). Cognate with Old Frisian flax, Dutch vlas, Old High German flahs (German Flachs); the Northern Germanic (and most likely the Gothic too) stem is different.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: flax, fleax, *flahsą, *pleḱ-

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /flæks/
  • British English: /flaks/

Usage

Inflected Forms

flaxes (plural)

Derived Forms

earthflax flaxbush flaxcomb flaxen flaxlike flaxseed flaxweed flaxwort flaxy toadflax

Phrases

blue flax false flax false flax oil flax bow flax cotton flax dodder flax-dresser flax-leaved daphne

Frequently Paired Words

Flax Bourton linen tow

Homonyms

flacks flex flecks

Rhymes With

tax attacks max tracks relax blacks backs packs wax cracks lacks snacks

Questions

How do you pronounce flax?
The recorded pronunciation is /flæks/.
What does flax mean?
A plant of the genus Linum, especially Linum usitatissimum, which has a single, slender stalk, about a foot and a half high, with blue flowers. Also known as linseed, especially when referring to the seeds.
Where does flax come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce flax

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “flax”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/flæks/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “flax”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “flax” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.