linear

adjective

lin·​e·​ar ˈli-nē-ər How to pronounce linear (audio)
1
a(1)
: of, relating to, resembling, or having a graph that is a line and especially a straight line : straight
(2)
: involving a single dimension
b(1)
: of the first degree with respect to one or more variables
c(1)
: characterized by an emphasis on line
linear art
(2)
: composed of simply drawn lines with little attempt at pictorial representation
linear script
d
: consisting of a straight chain of atoms
a linear molecule
2
: elongated with nearly parallel sides
linear leaf
see leaf illustration
3
: having or being a response or output that is directly proportional to the input
4
: of, relating to, or based or depending on sequential development
linear thinking
a linear narrative
linearity noun
linearly adverb

Examples of linear in a Sentence

a flat, almost linear horizon the bullets from early firearms were notorious for not following a strictly linear path through the air
Recent Examples on the Web Open to the kitchen area is the family room, which offers a linear stone fireplace and wet bar with a beverage refrigerator, plus a walk-in wine closet that’s fully temperature-controlled. James McClain, Robb Report, 22 Mar. 2024 What if biopics of Black men and women weren’t so linear and grandiose? Harmony Holiday, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024 The long-term extension with FilmRise adds all international linear rights as part of the deal and FilmRise will continue to distribute worldwide digital rights. Jack Dunn, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024 The Golden Bachelor reached 43.4 million total viewers after 35 days of viewing across linear and streaming platforms and ranked as the No. 1 new unscripted series among adults 18-49 (0.84 rating) during its run, per ABC. Dana Rose Falcone, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024 In addition, multiple linear green belts would link together existing parks and neighborhoods. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024 This type of sequence, in which words of a category follow a linear pattern, is sometimes described among cruciverbalists as a progression theme. Sam Corbin, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2024 Autoportrait of Paolo Roversi, 2020 Rather than take a linear approach, curator Sylvie Lécailler said she was guided by the light in Roversi’s work. Tina Isaac-Goizé, Vogue, 14 Mar. 2024 The linear attribution model distributes credit for the conversion equally across all ad interactions in the conversion path. Jenya Edelberg, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'linear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of linear was circa 1656

Dictionary Entries Near linear

Cite this Entry

“Linear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/linear. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

linear

adjective
lin·​ear
ˈlin-ē-ər
1
a
: relating to, consisting of, or resembling a line : straight
b
: involving a single dimension
c
: of, relating to, based on, or being linear equations or linear functions
2
: long and uniformly narrow
the linear leaf of the hyacinth
linearity
ˌlin-ē-ˈar-ət-ē
noun
linearly
ˈlin-ē-ər-lē
adverb

Medical Definition

linear

adjective
lin·​ear ˈlin-ē-ər How to pronounce linear (audio)
: of, relating to, or resembling a line
linearity noun
plural linearities
linearly adverb

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