linear.

1. Arranged along a line or progressing through a sequence without branching.

2. Satisfying a linear mathematical relation, such as proportional change or an operation preserving addition and scalar multiplication.

3. Of first degree in specified variables without products between those variables.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• linear arrangement
• linear sequence

On the page

The linear arrangement placed each stage after its predecessor.

The account followed a linear sequence without returning to earlier events.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: Normally relational or categorical; comparison only where the particular property admits gradation. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: formal properties, scope and scale, organizational relations, analytic representation. Disciplines: academic writing, formal methods, cross-disciplinary analysis. Commonness: moderately common.