rectilinear

English

Etymology

From post-Classical Latin; either from rectilīneāris or from rectilīneus (whence rectiline) + -ar, in both cases ultimately deriving from rectus (“straight”) + līnea (“line”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌɹɛktɪˈlɪniɚ/
• IPA^(key): /ˌɹɛktɪˈlɪnɪə/
• Hyphenation: rec‧ti‧lin‧ear

Adjective

rectilinear (comparative more rectilinear, superlative most rectilinear)

1. In a straight line.

   The crankshaft and connecting rods of an engine convert the rectilinear motion of the pistons to rotary motion of the flywheel.

2. (geometry, art) Formed from straight lines.

Derived terms

• near-rectilinear
• near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO)
• near-rectilinear orbit (NRO)
• rectilinearity
• rectilinearly
• rectilinear orbit

 

Related terms

• near-rectilineal
• near-rectilineal halo orbit (NRO)
• near-rectilineal orbit (NRO)
• rectangle
• rectangular
• recti-
• rectilineal
• rectilineality
• rectilineally
• rectilineal orbit

 

Coordinate terms

• circular
• pentangular
• quadrangular
• triangular

 

Translations

in a straight line

• Belarusian: прамаліне́йны (pramalinjéjny)
• Bulgarian: праволинеен (bg) (pravolineen)
• Catalan: rectilini
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 沿直线的 (yánzhíxiànde)

• German: geradlinig (de)
• Italian: rettilineo (it)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Polish: prostoliniowy
• Russian: прямолине́йный (ru) (prjamolinéjnyj)
• Spanish: rectilíneo
• Swedish: rätlinjig (sv)
• Ukrainian: прямоліні́йний (prjamoliníjnyj)

Further reading

• “rectilinear”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “rectilinear”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.