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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

linear

/ˈlɪn.i.əɹ/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:03
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What does linear mean?

adjective

  1. Having the form of a line; straight or roughly straight; following a direct course.
  2. Of or relating to lines.
  3. Made, or designed to be used, in a step-by-step, sequential manner.
More meanings (10)

adjective

  1. Long and narrow, with nearly parallel sides.
  2. 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
  3. Involving only linear polynomials. See also Linear equation on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
  4. 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
  5. A module homomorphism; that is, a group homomorphism that commutes with scalar multiplication. See also Module homomorphism on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
  6. A type of length measurement involving only one spatial dimension (as opposed to area or volume).
  7. Delivered or delivering on a fixed schedule, as opposed to on-demand.

noun

  1. (slang) Ellipsis of linear amplifier.

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.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ˈlɪn.i.əɹ/

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

Their linear dimensions are barely half those of the other sex, which implies a volume only one-eighth as great.
Jean-Henri FabreMore Hunting WaspsTranslated by Alexander Teixeira de MattosProject Gutenberg ebook #3462
Bordering the coast there was a linear group of islets and outcropping rocks at which we had hoped to touch.
Douglas, Sir MawsonThe Home of the Blizzard Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914Project Gutenberg ebook #6137
More book examples (3)
With its slender branches and pale green, pleasantly-scented, linear leaves, this little plant is a general favourite that needs no description.
Angus D. WebsterHardy Ornamental Flowering Trees and ShrubsProject Gutenberg ebook #10852
In some instances, to the quick, observant eye, those linear marks, as in a veritable engraving, but afford the ground for far other delineations.
Herman MelvilleMoby Dick; Or, The WhaleProject Gutenberg ebook #2701
The linear extent of the wound was 14 inches, the distance between the two extremities being but four inches.
George M. (George Milbrey) Gould; Walter L. (Walter Lytle) PyleAnomalies and Curiosities of MedicineProject Gutenberg ebook #747