What does "linear" mean?
Ellipsis of linear amplifier.
Linear
/ˈlɪni.əɹ/ adj, name, noun, slang
adj, name, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Ellipsis of linear amplifier.
- Grammar: linear is listed as adj, name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: additive, affine, affined, analog.
- Useful contrasts: nonlinear, painterly, adaptive learning.
- Usage evidence: In a time-bound society time is seen as linear- in other words as a straight line extending from the past, through the present, to the future.
How to use "linear"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "linear" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "linear" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "linear" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "linear" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "linear" is acting as adj, name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "additive" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "linear", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Ellipsis of linear amplifier. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, slang
Adjective
- 1 Having the form of a line; straight or roughly straight; following a direct course.
"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.
- 3 Made, or designed to be used, in a step-by-step, sequential manner.
"a linear medium"
- 4 Long and narrow, with nearly parallel sides.
- 5 (of polynomials or polynomial equations); Having degree one; that is, being of the form a_1x_1+a_2x_2+⋯+a_nx_n+b, where each x_i is a variable. See also Linear polynomials on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
"4x#43;5y#43;#92;frac#123;1#125;#123;2#125;z is a linear polynomial, but 4xy#43;#92;frac#123;1#125;#123;2#125;z and 4x#43;z² are not."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 (of polynomials or polynomial equations); Involving only linear polynomials. See also Linear equation on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
"The graph of the linear equation y#61;ax#43;b is a straight line with slope a and y-intercept b"
- 7 (of functions or maps); An additive, homogeneous mapping; that is, a function f:V→W is linear if it distributes over vector addition (f( mathbf v+ mathbf w)=f( mathbf v)+f( mathbf w)) and respects scalar multiplication (f(c mathbf v)=cf( mathbf 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#58;#92;mathbb#123;R#125;³#92;to#92;mathbb#123;R#125;² taking (x,y,z)#92;mapsto(x#43;y#43;z,x-y#43;3z) is a linear map."
- 8 (of functions or maps); A module homomorphism; that is, a group homomorphism that commutes with scalar multiplication. See also Module homomorphism on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
- 9 A type of length measurement involving only one spatial dimension (as opposed to area or volume).
"a linear meter"
- 10 Delivered or delivering on a fixed schedule, as opposed to on-demand.
"linear TV, linear content, linear video, linear radio"
Adjective
- 1 of a circuit or device having an output that is proportional to the input wordnet
- 2 of or in or along or relating to a line; involving or having a single dimension wordnet
- 3 designating or involving an equation whose terms are of the first degree wordnet
- 4 measured lengthwise wordnet
- 5 (of a leaf shape) long and narrow wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A comet, cataloged as “C/1999 S4”, discovered on September 27, 1999, by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research program in New Mexico. (See https://web.archive.org/web/20051220100856/http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/comets/linear.html) Sometimes spelled LINEAR.
- 2 Initialism of Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research program. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
Example
"In a time-bound society time is seen as linear- in other words as a straight line extending from the past, through the present, to the future."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "linear"?
Common synonyms include: additive, affine, affined, analog, analogue, arithmetic sequence.
How do you use "linear" in a sentence?
In a time-bound society time is seen as linear- in other words as a straight line extending from the past, through the present, to the future.
How do you pronounce "linear"?
Pronounced /ˈlɪni.əɹ/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin līneāris, from līnea (“line”) + -āris (adjectival suffix), equivalent to line + -ar. Doublet of lineal.