lin ‧ e ‧ ar /ˈlɪniə $ -ər/ BrE AmE adjective
1 . consisting of lines, or in the form of a straight line:
a linear diagram
2 . [only before noun] relating to length:
linear measurements
3 . involving a series of connected events, ideas etc, that move or progress from one stage to the next:
linear thinking
—linearly adverb
—linearity /ˌlɪniˈærəti, ˌlɪniˈærɪti/ noun [uncountable]
⇨ ↑ lateral thinking