linear
Americanadjective
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of, consisting of, or using lines.
linear design.
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pertaining to or represented by lines.
linear dimensions.
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extended or arranged in a line.
a linear series.
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involving measurement in one dimension only; pertaining to length.
linear measure.
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of or relating to the characteristics of a work of art in which forms and rhythms are defined chiefly in terms of line.
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having the form of or resembling a line.
linear nebulae.
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progressing logically from step to step; having a regular sequence of stages.
Such linear thinking can inhibit true innovation and creative exploration.
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Mathematics.
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consisting of, involving, or describable by terms of the first degree.
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having the same effect on a sum as on each of the summands.
a linear operation.
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Electronics. delivering an output that is directly proportional to the input.
a linear circuit; a linear amplifier.
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threadlike; narrow and elongated.
a linear leaf.
adjective
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of, in, along, or relating to a line
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of or relating to length
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resembling, represented by, or consisting of a line or lines
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having one dimension
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designating a style in the arts, esp painting, that obtains its effects through line rather than colour or light and in which the edges of forms and planes are sharply defined Compare painterly
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maths of or relating to the first degree
a linear equation
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narrow and having parallel edges
a linear leaf
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electronics
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(of a circuit, etc) having an output that is directly proportional to input
linear amplifier
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having components arranged in a line
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Other Word Forms
- linearity noun
- linearly adverb
- nonlinear adjective
- sublinear adjective
Etymology
Origin of linear
First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin līneāris “of, belonging to lines”; line 1, -ar 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“They watch it on linear and they watch it on Paramount+, where it’s consistently been a top streaming performer.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026
Nick Hilton, writing in the Independent, gives it three stars, saying it "has to work as a collection of clips" to survive in a world where linear TV is no longer king.
From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026
The competing magnetic interactions naturally drive repeated reorientations during motion, leading to a friction force that does not change in a simple linear way with load.
From Science Daily • Mar. 22, 2026
But the rise of digital technology and decline of linear TV have eroded those advantages and instead favor nimbler startups that can respond to trends.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
Progress is not linear or incremental, and it is often difficult to reach agreement on the standard by which it should be measured.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
