Made of linen; as, linen cloth; a linen stocking.

Thread or cloth made of flax or (rarely) of hemp; -- used in a general sense to include cambric, shirting, sheeting, towels, tablecloths, etc.; as, bed linens

"A kind of cloth the making of which, when made of hemp, entails a great waste of hemp." -- Calcraft the Hangman.

Resembling linen cloth; white; pale.

Underclothing, esp. the shirt, as being, in former times, chiefly made of linen.

A generic term for fine shirts and underwear, since linen was the material generally used to make them before cotton became popular. The material had the advantages of being cool and strong. There were different kinds. Lawn and cambric - the latter favored for handkerchiefs, were fine varieties used by the rich. The poor used coarser types of linen.

is a fine single thread evenweave.

Linen comes in various weights, from fine and lightweight linen used for fine shirts to heavier weight, more durable linen used for pants and jackets. Linen has the tendency to crease and often needs ironing.