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Etymology data from Wiktionary via Wiktextract (CC BY-SA 4.0). Chinese character data from the 說文解字, the Taiwan MOE 國語辭典簡編本 (CC BY-ND 3.0 TW) and HSK/TOCFL lists.

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English

line

/laɪn/
A path through two or more points (compare ‘segment’); a continuous mark, including as made by a pen; any path, curved or straight.

    Etymology graph

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    • borrowed
    • derived
    • parts
    • meaning component
    • sound component
    • related
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    Origin

    Etymology 1

    From Middle English line, lyne, from Old English līne (“line, cable, rope, hawser, series, row, rule, direction”), from Proto-West Germanic *līnā, from Proto-Germanic *līnǭ (“line, rope, flaxen cord, thread”), from Proto-Germanic *līną (“flax, linen”), from Proto-Indo-European *līno- (“flax”).

    Influenced in Middle English by Middle French ligne (“line”), from Latin linea. More at linen.

    The oldest sense of the word is “rope, cord, thread”; from this the senses “path”, “continuous mark” were derived.

    Etymology 2

    Borrowed from Korean 라인 (rain, “members with a shared characteristic”), itself from English line. Likely generalized via hyung line, maknae line, etc.

    Etymology 3

    From Old English līn (“flax, linen, cloth”). For more information, see the entry linen.

    Etymology 4

    Borrowed from Middle French ligner.

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • inheritedMiddle Englishline
      • inheritedOld Englishlīne
        • inheritedProto-West Germanic*līnā
          • inheritedProto-Germanic*līnǭ
            • derivedProto-Germanic*līną “flax”
              • derivedProto-Indo-European*līno- “flax”
    • borrowedKorean라인 “members with a shared characteristic”
    • derivedOld Englishlīn “flax, linen, cloth”
      • derivedOld Englishlind “lime”
        • inheritedProto-West Germanic*lindu
        • inheritedProto-Germanic*lindijō
        • inheritedOld Englishwudu “wood”
        • inheritedOld Englishhyrst “hillock, eminence, height, wood, wooded eminence”
    • borrowedMiddle Frenchligner

    Words built on it: in-line, A-line, state line, old-line

    Meanings

    noun
    1. A path through two or more points (compare ‘segment’); a continuous mark, including as made by a pen; any path, curved or straight.
    2. An infinitely extending one-dimensional figure that has no curvature; one that has length but not breadth or thickness.
    3. A line segment; a continuous finite segment of such a figure.
    4. An edge of a graph.
    5. A circle of latitude or of longitude, as represented on a map.
    6. The equator.
    intj
    1. Expresses that the speaker has forgotten their dialogue and needs to be prompted with it.
    verb
    1. To place (objects) into a line (usually used with "up"); to form into a line; to align.
    2. To place persons or things along the side of for security or defense; to strengthen by adding; to fortify.
    3. To form a line along.
    4. To mark with a line or lines; to cover with lines.
    5. To align (one or more switches) to direct a train onto a particular track.
    6. To represent by lines; to delineate; to portray.

    Sources

    • Wiktionary (via Wiktextract / kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
    • Wiktionary: line