Standard Lemma guide

rectilinear

adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˌɹɛktɪˈlɪniɚ/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌɹɛktɪˈlɪnɪə/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

In a straight line.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

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

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Formed from straight lines.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: art, arts, geometry, mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

characterized by a straight line or lines

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • rectilinear patterns in wallpaper
  • the rectilinear propagation of light

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: rectilineal

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

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

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: прамаліне́йны (pramalinjéjny) — in a straight line
  • Bulgarian: праволинеен (pravolineen) — in a straight line
  • Catalan: rectilini — in a straight line
  • Chinese Mandarin: 沿直线的 (yánzhíxiànde) — in a straight line
  • German: geradlinig — in a straight line
  • Irish: dronlíneach — in a straight line
  • Italian: rettilineo — in a straight line
  • Polish: prostoliniowy — in a straight line
  • Russian: прямолине́йный (prjamolinéjnyj) — in a straight line
  • Spanish: rectilíneo — in a straight line
  • Swedish: rätlinjig — in a straight line
  • Ukrainian: прямоліні́йний (prjamoliníjnyj) — in a straight line