In a straight line or in direct proportion; progressing from one stage to another in a single series of steps. Following a sequential, non-branching path.
From Latin linearis meaning 'of or pertaining to a line,' from linea 'line' (from linum 'flax thread'), plus the adverb suffix -ly. The mathematical sense developed in the 17th century.
Human thinking rarely proceeds linearly, despite our tendency to organize information this way - our brains actually process multiple streams simultaneously and make intuitive leaps. In computer science, linear algorithms are often preferred because their performance is predictable, unlike exponential algorithms that can become impossibly slow.
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