linear

See also: LINEAR, Linear, and lineär

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin līneāris, from līnea (“line”) + -āris (adjectival suffix), equivalent to line +‎ -ar. Doublet of lineal.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈlɪn.i.ə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈlɪn.i.əɹ/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• (India) IPA^(key): /liː.nɪ.jə(ɾ)/, /liːn.jə(ɾ)/
• Rhymes: -ɪniə(ɹ)

Adjective

polynomial degrees

Previous:	constant
Next:	quadratic

linear (comparative more linear, superlative most linear)

1. Having the form of a line; straight or roughly straight; following a direct course.
   • 2019, Li Huang, James Lambert, “Another Arrow for the Quiver: A New Methodology for Multilingual Researchers”, in Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, →DOI, page 4:

     The route taken does not have to be a perfectly straight line, just so long as it is linear and is followed consistently for each transect taken.

2. Of or relating to lines.

   Synonym: lineal

3. Made, or designed to be used, in a step-by-step, sequential manner.

   a linear medium

4. (botany, of leaves) Long and narrow, with nearly parallel sides.
5. (mathematics) (of polynomials or polynomial equations)
   1. (of a polynomial) Having degree one; that is, being of the form $a_1{x}_1+a_2{x}_2+\cdots +a_n{x}_n+b$, where each $x_i$ is a variable. See also Linear polynomials on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

      $4x+5y+\frac{1}{2}z$ is a linear polynomial, but $4xy+\frac{1}{2}z$ and $4x+z^2$ are not.

   2. (of a polynomial equation) Involving only linear polynomials. See also Linear equation on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

      The graph of the linear equation $y=ax+b$ is a straight line with slope $a$ and y-intercept $b$

6. (mathematics) (of functions or maps)
   1. (of a function between vector spaces) An additive, homogeneous mapping; that is, a function $f:V\to W$ is linear if it distributes over vector addition ($f(𝐯+𝐰)=f(𝐯)+f(𝐰)$) and respects scalar multiplication ($f(c𝐯)=cf(𝐯)$). If $V$ and $W$ are vector spaces over a field $K$, $f$ may also be called a $K$-linear map. See also linear map on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

      The map $f:{ℝ}^3\to {ℝ}^2$ taking $(x,y,z)\mapsto (x+y+z,x-y+3z)$ is a linear map.

   2. (of a function over a module) A module homomorphism; that is, a group homomorphism that commutes with scalar multiplication. See also Module homomorphism on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
7. (physics) A type of length measurement involving only one spatial dimension (as opposed to area or volume).

   a linear meter

8. (Discuss⁽⁺⁾ this sense) (media, of video and audio) Delivered or delivering on a fixed schedule, as opposed to on-demand. [From 1980s]

   Synonyms: broadcast, tune-in

   Antonyms: streaming, on-demand, non-linear

   linear TV, linear content, linear video, linear radio

   Linear television is dead or, at least, declining.

   Linear television includes traditional over-the-air broadcasting, as well as much cable and satellite broadcasting.

   • 2004, Wolfgang Hoeg, Thomas Lauterbach, editors, Digital Audio Broadcasting: Principles and Applications of Digital Radio, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 186:

     Linear radio relates to our well-known tune-in radio, where the listener depends on the programmers schedule. In non-linear radio applications, the listener is able to choose previously broadcast audio pieces, which are held in local storage of the receiver (“mailbox”).

Synonyms

• linelike

Antonyms

• nonlinear

Coordinate terms

• (pertaining to length): areal, spacial, spatial
• (one-dimensional unit): cubic, square

Derived terms

• antilinear
• basolinear
• bilinear
• circumlinear
• colinear
• collinear
• conjugate-linear
• crosslinear
• curvilinear
• general linear group
• hyperlinear
• infralinear
• interlineal
• interlinear
• isolinear
• lineal
• linear algebra
• linear algebraic
• linear algebraic group
• linear channel
• linear combination
• linear congruential generator
• linear density
• linear dependence
• linear elasticity
• linear equation
• linear foot
• linear form
• linear function
• linear functional
• linear group
• linear independence
• linearisation
• linearise
• linearism
• linearithmic
• linearity
• linearization
• linearize
• linear logic
• linearly
• linear map
• linear meter, linear metre
• linear motor
• linearoid
• linear operator
• linear order
• linear pair
• linear park
• linear perspective
• linear programming
• linear regression
• linear relative
• linear space
• linear span
• linear subspace
• linear sum
• linear system
• linear television
• linear time
• linear time-invariant
• linear time-varying
• linear transformation
• linear triplet
• lineartuberculate
• linear TV
• log-linear
• matrilinear
• monolinear
• multilinear
• non-linear
• non-linear text
• numerical linear algebra
• ortholinear
• paralinear
• patrilinear
• piecewise linear
• piecewise-linear
• plurilinear
• polylinear
• positive linear functional
• pseudolinear
• quadrilinear
• quasilinear
• rectified linear unit
• semilinear
• sesquilinear
• special linear group
• spherical linear interpolation
• sublinear
• superlinear
• supralinear
• translinear
• trilinear
• ultralinear
• unilinear
• vertilinear

Translations

having the form of a line

• Afrikaans: lineêr (af)
• Belarusian: ліне́йны (linjéjny)
• Bulgarian: линеен (lineen)
• Catalan: lineal (ca), linear (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 线性 (zh) (xianxing)

• Danish: lige (da), lineær
• Dutch: lineair (nl)
• Faroese: linjurættur
• Finnish: suoraviivainen (fi)
• French: linéaire (fr)
• Galician: lineal (gl), linear
• German: linear (de)
• Greek: γραμμικός (el) (grammikós)

  Ancient Greek: γραμμικός (grammikós)

• Hungarian: vonalas (hu)
• Icelandic: línulegur
• Indonesian: linear (id), linier (id), segaris (id)
• Italian: lineare (it)
• Latin: (Classical) rēctus, prōrsus (la), dīrēctus, (post-Classical) līneāris, līneālis
• Norwegian: lineær
• Polish: linearny (pl), liniowy (pl)
• Portuguese: linear (pt)
• Russian: лине́йный (ru) (linéjnyj)
• Spanish: lineal (es)
• Swedish: linjär (sv)
• Turkish: doğrusal (tr), lineer (tr)
• Ukrainian: ліні́йний (liníjnyj)

of or relating to lines

• Bulgarian: линеен (lineen)
• Finnish: suoraviivainen (fi)
• Latin: līneāris, līneālis, līneārius
• Malay: garis (ms), garisan (ms), kegarisan, kegarisanan, linear
• Polish: linearny (pl), liniowy (pl)
• Spanish: lineal (es)

made in a step-by-step manner

• Bulgarian: постъпателен (postăpatelen)
• Finnish: suoraviivainen (fi), johdonmukainen (fi)
• Latin: gradārius
• Russian: после́довательный (ru) (poslédovatelʹnyj)

botany, of leaves: long and narrow

• Bulgarian: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: tasasoukka (fi)
• German: linealisch, lineal
• Spanish: lineal (es)

in mathematics, of first-degree polynomial

• Afrikaans: lineêr (af)
• Bulgarian: линеен (lineen)
• Czech: lineární (cs)
• Danish: lineær
• Finnish: lineaarinen (fi)
• French: linéaire (fr)
• German: linear (de)
• Greek: γραμμικός (el) (grammikós)
• Italian: lineare (it)
• Norwegian: lineær
• Polish: linearny (pl), liniowy (pl)
• Portuguese: linear (pt)
• Russian: лине́йный (ru) (linéjnyj)
• Spanish: lineal (es)
• Swedish: linjär (sv), lineär (sv)

physics: involving only one dimension

• Afrikaans: lineêr (af)
• Bulgarian: линеен (lineen)
• Finnish: lineaarinen (fi)
• German: linear (de)
• Polish: linearny (pl), liniowy (pl)
• Russian: линейный (ru) (linejnyj), одномерный (ru) (odnomernyj)
• Spanish: unidimensional (es)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: (1,2) ^{(please verify)} linéaire (fr)
• Japanese: ^{(please verify)} リニア (ja) (rinia), ^{(please verify)} リンネル (ja) (rinneru), ^{(please verify)} 線形 (ja) (senkei 1,2), ^{(please verify)} 一次 (ja) (ichiji 2,3)
• Korean: ^{(please verify)} 선형 (ko) (seonhyeong) (1,2), ^{(please verify)} 일차 (ko) (ilcha) (2,3)

Noun

linear (plural linears)

1. (radio slang) Ellipsis of linear amplifier.

References

• linear on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• “linear”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “linear”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.

Anagrams

• Arline, Erlian, Irelan, Lanier, aliner, enrail, lanier, larine, nailer, renail

Catalan

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin līneāris.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern) [li.ne̞ˈar]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [li.neˈa]
• IPA^(key): (Central, Northwestern) [li.neˈar]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [li.neˈaɾ]

Adjective

linear m or f (masculine and feminine plural linears)

1. linear

   Synonym: lineal

Related terms

• línia

Further reading

• “linear”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• “linear”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026
• “linear” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “linear”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan)

German

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin līneāris. Doublet of lineal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lineˈaːɐ̯/

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aːɐ̯

Adjective

linear (strong nominative masculine singular linearer, comparative linearer, superlative am linearsten)

1. linear (having the form of a line; straight or roughly straight; following a direct course)

   Synonyms: gerade, geradlinig, linienförmig

2. linear; lineal (pertaining to lines)

   Synonym: zeichnerisch

3. linear (made in a step-by-step, straightforward manner)

   Synonym: geradlinig

4. (mathematics) linear (pertaining to polynomials of degree one)

   Synonym: (obsolete) linearisch

5. (physics) linear (in one dimension)

   Synonym: eindimensional

6. (art) line-drawn; lineal (drawn using line art)

Declension

Positive forms of linear number & gender singular plural masculine feminine neuter predicative er ist linear sie ist linear es ist linear sie sind linear strong declension (without article) nominative linearer lineare lineares lineare genitive linearen linearer linearen linearer dative linearem linearer linearem linearen accusative linearen lineare lineares lineare weak declension (with definite article) nominative der lineare die lineare das lineare die linearen genitive des linearen der linearen des linearen der linearen dative dem linearen der linearen dem linearen den linearen accusative den linearen die lineare das lineare die linearen mixed declension (with indefinite article) nominative ein linearer eine lineare ein lineares (keine) linearen genitive eines linearen einer linearen eines linearen (keiner) linearen dative einem linearen einer linearen einem linearen (keinen) linearen accusative einen linearen eine lineare ein lineares (keine) linearen Comparative forms of linear number & gender singular plural masculine feminine neuter predicative er ist linearer sie ist linearer es ist linearer sie sind linearer strong declension (without article) nominative linearerer linearere lineareres linearere genitive lineareren linearerer lineareren linearerer dative linearerem linearerer linearerem lineareren accusative lineareren linearere lineareres linearere weak declension (with definite article) nominative der linearere die linearere das linearere die lineareren genitive des lineareren der lineareren des lineareren der lineareren dative dem lineareren der lineareren dem lineareren den lineareren accusative den lineareren die linearere das linearere die lineareren mixed declension (with indefinite article) nominative ein linearerer eine linearere ein lineareres (keine) lineareren genitive eines lineareren einer lineareren eines lineareren (keiner) lineareren dative einem lineareren einer lineareren einem lineareren (keinen) lineareren accusative einen lineareren eine linearere ein lineareres (keine) lineareren Superlative forms of linear number & gender singular plural masculine feminine neuter predicative er ist am linearsten sie ist am linearsten es ist am linearsten sie sind am linearsten strong declension (without article) nominative linearster linearste linearstes linearste genitive linearsten linearster linearsten linearster dative linearstem linearster linearstem linearsten accusative linearsten linearste linearstes linearste weak declension (with definite article) nominative der linearste die linearste das linearste die linearsten genitive des linearsten der linearsten des linearsten der linearsten dative dem linearsten der linearsten dem linearsten den linearsten accusative den linearsten die linearste das linearste die linearsten mixed declension (with indefinite article) nominative ein linearster eine linearste ein linearstes (keine) linearsten genitive eines linearsten einer linearsten eines linearsten (keiner) linearsten dative einem linearsten einer linearsten einem linearsten (keinen) linearsten accusative einen linearsten eine linearste ein linearstes (keine) linearsten

References

• “linear” in Duden online

Indonesian

Etymology

Internationalism, borrowed from Dutch lineair (“linear”), from French linéaire, from Latin līneāris.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /liˈnɛar/ [liˈnɛ.ar]
• Rhymes: -ɛar
• Syllabification: li‧ne‧ar

Adjective

linèar (comparative lebih linear, superlative paling linear)

1. alternative spelling of linièr (“linear”)

Further reading

• “linear”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Portuguese

Etymology

Etymology tree

substrateder.

Proto-Indo-European *līnom

Proto-Italic *līnom

Latin līnum

Proto-Indo-European *-éyos

Proto-Italic *-ejos

Proto-Italic *-eos

Latin -eus

Latin līneus

Latin līnea

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-

Proto-Indo-European *-is

Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.?

Proto-Italic *-ālis

Latin -ālis

Latin -āris

Latin līneārislbor.

Portuguese linear

Learned borrowing from Latin līneāris.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /li.neˈaʁ/ [li.neˈah]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /li.neˈaʁ/ [li.neˈah]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /li.neˈaɾ/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /li.neˈaʁ/ [li.neˈaχ]
  • (Caipira) IPA^(key): /li.neˈaɻ/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /liˈnjaɾ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /liˈnjaɾ/
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /liˈnja.ɾi/

• Hyphenation: li‧ne‧ar

Adjective

linear m or f (plural lineares)

1. linear (having the form of a straight line)
2. (mathematics) linear (being a first-degree polynomial)
3. linear (made in a step-by-step, logical manner)

Related terms

• linha

Further reading

• “linear”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “linear”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Adjective

linear m or n (feminine singular lineară, masculine plural lineari, feminine/neuter plural lineare)

1. alternative form of liniar

Declension

Declension of linear

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	linear		lineară	lineari	lineare
	definite	linearul		lineara	linearii	linearele
genitive- dative	indefinite	linear		lineare	lineari	lineare
	definite	linearului		linearei	linearilor	linearelor

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lineˈaɾ/ [li.neˈaɾ]
• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: li‧ne‧ar

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

substrateder.

Proto-Indo-European *līnom

Proto-Italic *līnom

Latin līnum

Proto-Indo-European *-éyos

Proto-Italic *-ejos

Proto-Italic *-eos

Latin -eus

Latin līneus

Latin līnea

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-

Proto-Indo-European *-is

Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.?

Proto-Italic *-ālis

Latin -ālis

Latin -āris

Latin lineārislbor.

Spanish linear

Learned borrowing from Latin lineāris.

Adjective

linear m or f (masculine and feminine plural lineares)

1. (botany) linear

Derived terms

• perspectiva linear

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

substrateder.

Proto-Indo-European *līnom

Proto-Italic *līnom

Latin līnum

Proto-Indo-European *-éyos

Proto-Italic *-ejos

Proto-Italic *-eos

Latin -eus

Latin līneus

Latin līnea

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂

Proto-Indo-European *-yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu.

Proto-Italic *-ājō

Proto-Italic *-āō

Latin -ō

Latin lineārelbor.

Spanish linear

Learned borrowing from Latin lineāre.

Verb

linear (first-person singular present lineo, first-person singular preterite lineé, past participle lineado)

1. to line
2. to outline, mark out

Conjugation

    Conjugation of linear (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			linear
gerund			lineando
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		lineado		lineada
		plural		lineados		lineadas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	lineo	lineastú lineásvos	linea	lineamos	lineáis	linean
	imperfect	lineaba	lineabas	lineaba	lineábamos	lineabais	lineaban
	preterite	lineé	lineaste	lineó	lineamos	lineasteis	linearon
	future	linearé	linearás	lineará	linearemos	linearéis	linearán
	conditional	linearía	linearías	linearía	linearíamos	linearíais	linearían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	linee	lineestú lineésvos2	linee	lineemos	lineéis	lineen
	imperfect (ra)	lineara	linearas	lineara	lineáramos	linearais	linearan
	imperfect (se)	linease	lineases	linease	lineásemos	lineaseis	lineasen
	future1	lineare	lineares	lineare	lineáremos	lineareis	linearen
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		lineatú lineávos	linee	lineemos	linead	lineen
	negative		no linees	no linee	no lineemos	no lineéis	no lineen

¹Rare; now chiefly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tuteo-form for the present subjunctive.

Derived terms

• alinear
• aliñar
• lineamiento

Further reading

• “linear”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), 24th edition, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 30 October 2026