Etymograph

English

rectilinear

Rectilinear may come from English rectus ‘straight’.

  1. English1500–presentrectus1‘straight’uncertain
  2. Englishearliest quotation 2026rectilinear1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English rectilinear
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2026, Andy Comfort, Mapping Britain's railways: “10. A Chiltern Railways 2023 rectilinear diagram.”.

Earlier history uncertain. See Wiktionary.

Lineage

  1. English1500–presentrectusWiktionary, English rectilinear‘straight’uncertain
  2. Englishearliest quotation 2026rectilinearWiktionary, English rectilinear. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2026, Andy Comfort, Mapping Britain's railways: “10. A Chiltern Railways 2023 rectilinear diagram.”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’

right, real, source, rule, rich, royal, region, address, director, regular, dress, rank, direct, correct, roy, regime, arrangement, radar, rack, ana, rogue, arrange, regulate, rex, raj, rake, interrogation, regent, resurrection, regal, regency, anorexia, erect, rani, rector, rajah, insurrection, rhesus, droit, rectum, 105 more

Today it means

adj In a straight line.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “rectilinear”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / English rectus / rectilinear

Shirt and support for this word