linear

adj

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

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)

   “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.”

6. (of polynomials or polynomial equations)

   “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)

   “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)
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”

    “Linear television is dead or, at least, declining.”

name

1. Initialism of Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research program.

noun

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

1. Ellipsis of linear amplifier.