# linear

/ˈɫɪniɝ/ (US) · /lˈɪniə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/linear
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. straight

adjective · CEFR B2

following a straight line or moving in one direction.

For teachers: having the form of a line; following a direct or straight course without deviation.

- The park has several linear paths that lead directly to the lake.
- The urban planners proposed a linear park system that would follow the old railway tracks through the heart of the city.

### 2. sequential

adjective · CEFR B2

happening in a clear, step-by-step order where one thing follows another.

For teachers: relating to a process that progresses in a logical, sequential manner from one stage to the next.

- The book tells a linear story, starting with the hero's birth and ending with his retirement.
- Traditional novels often employ a linear narrative structure, whereas modern experimental fiction may jump between different time periods.

### 3. proportional

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

describing a relationship where two things change at the same steady rate.

For teachers: describing a relationship between two variables that can be represented by a straight line on a graph.

- There is a linear relationship between how much you work and how much you earn in this job.
- The researcher noted a linear correlation between the increase in temperature and the rate of chemical decomposition in the sample.

### 4. long and narrow

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

having a shape that is very long and thin with straight sides.

For teachers: possessing a long and narrow morphology with nearly parallel margins.

- The plant is easy to identify because of its long, linear leaves.
- The species is characterized by its linear foliage, which allows it to minimize water loss in arid environments.

### 5. scheduled media

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

describing television or radio that plays on a fixed schedule rather than on-demand.

For teachers: referring to traditional broadcasting where content is delivered according to a predetermined schedule.

- Many young people prefer streaming services over linear TV channels.
- Advertisers are shifting their budgets away from linear broadcasting as more consumers migrate to asynchronous viewing platforms.

## Examples

- The book follows a linear story from beginning to end.
- The curriculum is designed as a linear progression where each lesson builds directly on the previous one.
- While the director's earlier films utilized a fragmented, non-linear structure, his latest work adopts a strictly chronological approach to the protagonist's life.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.