Rectilinear
//ˌɹɛktɪˈlɪniɚ// adj
adj ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 In a straight line.
"The crankshaft and connecting rods of an engine convert the rectilinear motion of the pistons to rotary motion of the flywheel."
- 2 Formed from straight lines.
Adjective
- 1 characterized by a straight line or lines wordnet
Example
More examples"The crankshaft and connecting rods of an engine convert the rectilinear motion of the pistons to rotary motion of the flywheel."
Etymology
From post-Classical Latin; either from rectilīneāris or from rectilīneus (whence rectiline) + -ar, in both cases ultimately deriving from rectus (“straight”) + līnea (“line”).
Related phrases
More for "rectilinear"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.