linear

adj

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.”

    “Linear television includes traditional over-the-air broadcasting, as well as much cable and satellite broadcasting.”

    “Linear radio relates to our well-known tune-in radio, where the listener depends on the programmers schedule. In non-linear radio applications, the listener is able to choose previously broadcast audio pieces, which are held in local storage of the receiver (“mailbox”).”

noun

1. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, slang)Ellipsis of linear amplifier.

name

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. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism)Initialism of Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research program.