lineal

[ lin-ee-uhl ]
See synonyms for lineal on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. being in the direct line, as a descendant or ancestor, or in a direct line, as descent or succession.

  2. of or transmitted by lineal descent.

Origin of lineal

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Late Latin word līneālis.See line1, -al1

Other words from lineal

  • lin·e·al·ly, adverb
  • mul·ti·lin·e·al, adjective
  • non·lin·e·al, adjective
  • un·lin·e·al, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use lineal in a sentence

  • He recalled Mrs. McClosky's sneer at his own pretensions and her vague threats of a rival of more lineal descent.

British Dictionary definitions for lineal

lineal

/ (ˈlɪnɪəl) /


adjective
  1. being in a direct line of descent from an ancestor

  2. of, involving, or derived from direct descent

  1. a less common word for linear

Origin of lineal

1
C14: via Old French from Late Latin līneālis, from Latin līnea line 1

Derived forms of lineal

  • lineally, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012