linear
linear — adjective
1. having the form, look, or measurement of a line; based on straight or elongated
having the form, look, or measurement of a line; based on straight or elongated shapes, or relating to how long something is.
The building's linear design gives it a sleek, modern look.
attributive use: linear design
Nala used a ruler to draw clean linear patterns across the page.
collocation: linear pattern
Haruto measured the linear distance between his house and the school.
This plant produces long, linear leaves that grow straight out from the stem.
- straight
more general and common; 'straight' does not carry the technical sense of line-based design
- rectilinear
more formal and technical, used mainly in geometry and architecture
- curved
describes a rounded or bending shape rather than a straight line
文法句型
linear + noun
be + linear
常見錯誤
2. moving through a fixed series of steps where each new stage directly follows the
moving through a fixed series of steps where each new stage directly follows the previous one, without skipping anything or going backwards.
Gabriel prefers a linear approach to problem-solving, addressing each issue one at a time.
collocation: linear approach
Mizuki reminded the class that human memory is not always linear and sequential.
contrast: not always linear
The novel offers a linear narrative, from the hero's childhood to his old age.
A linear career path means moving steadily up through the ranks.
The training program is linear by design; you must complete module one before module two.
- sequential
nearly identical; 'sequential' emphasises the ordering of events, while 'linear' emphasises the straight line of progression
- chronological
specifically about time order; 'linear' can apply to non-temporal sequences as well
- step-by-step
more informal and concrete; often used for instructions or procedures
- non-linear
the direct opposite; describes processes that do not follow a single ordered sequence
- random
implies no order or pattern at all, which is a stronger contrast than non-linear
文法句型
linear + noun
be + linear
用法筆記
Commonly contrasted with 'non-linear' (non-sequential). Often used when discussing storytelling, thought processes, career paths, and learning systems.
常見錯誤
3. describing a case where two linked variables change together in step, so that do
describing a case where two linked variables change together in step, so that doubling the first produces a doubling of the second.
Tanvi found a linear relationship between the hours she studied and her test scores.
collocation: linear relationship
The company expects linear growth in sales as more customers join each month.
collocation: linear growth
A taxi fare is linear with distance — if the trip doubles, the cost doubles too.
Christopher noted that income and tax have a roughly linear relationship.
- proportional
more general; all linear relationships are proportional, but 'proportional' is less technical
- directly proportional
more precise in mathematics; a directly proportional relationship is a specific type of linear relationship passing through zero
- exponential
describes growth that accelerates over time, the opposite of steady linear growth
- inverse
describes a relationship where one variable goes up as the other goes down
文法句型
linear + noun
be + linear
linear relationship between X and Y
用法筆記
Common in scientific and economic writing. The phrase 'linear relationship' is a standard term in statistics and data analysis.
常見錯誤
4. relating to equations, functions, or expressions in which each variable is raise
relating to equations, functions, or expressions in which each variable is raised only to the first power (no squares or higher exponents), forming a straight line when plotted on a graph.
The equation y = 3x + 2 is a simple linear function with a straight-line graph.
canonical example: y = mx + c form
Dahlia solved the linear equation by subtracting five from both sides.
collocation: linear equation
The graph of y = 2x + 1 is a straight line because it is a linear equation.
Paul used a linear regression model to predict house prices based on their size.
- first-degree
technical synonym referring to the highest power of a variable being 1
- non-linear
describes equations or functions with variables raised to powers other than 1
- quadratic
specifically describes equations with a squared variable
文法句型
linear + noun
be + linear
用法筆記
The core mathematical sense. A linear equation can be written in the form y = mx + b. Linear functions have a constant rate of change, which appears as a straight line on a graph.
常見錯誤
5. describing traditional television, radio, or other media in which content is bro
describing traditional television, radio, or other media in which content is broadcast at scheduled times on specific channels, rather than being available whenever the viewer chooses.
Élise still watches linear television, but her son only streams shows online.
contrast: linear TV vs streaming
On weeknights at nine, Jun watches her favourite drama on channel five through linear broadcasting.
collocation: linear broadcasting
Constanza works for a media company that produces content for both linear and digital platforms.
The number of people watching linear TV has dropped sharply over the past ten years.
文法句型
linear + noun
用法筆記
Used in contrast with 'on-demand', 'streaming', or 'digital' media. Common in industry reports and media analysis. Often used as 'linear TV' or 'linear broadcasting'.
6. describing a technique for editing video or audio files in which the editor proc
describing a technique for editing video or audio files in which the editor processes the material from start to finish, without being able to jump directly to a chosen point.
Early video editors used linear editing, splicing tape from start to finish.
collocation: linear editing
Linear editing requires the editor to plan the entire sequence before cutting the tape.
grammar pattern: [noun] + requires + [person] + to
In linear editing, the editor builds each cut in order on the master tape from start to finish.
With linear editing, each cut relies on the previous one, so you must plan the order beforehand.
- tape-based
historical synonym referring to the physical medium used in linear editing
- non-linear
modern digital editing that allows random access to any point in the material
文法句型
linear + noun
用法筆記
Mainly used in professional video and audio production contexts. Most modern editing is non-linear (NLE), where editors can access any part of the material instantly.