Mehrzeiliger

Mehrzeiliger is a German adjective meaning multi-line or consisting of several lines. It is formed from mehr (more) and Zeile (line) with the suffix -ig. The word is used to describe content that spans multiple lines, such as text blocks, code, poems, or comments.

In grammar, mehrzeilig takes inflected endings according to case, number, and article when used attributively. Examples: ein mehrzeiliger Text (masculine singular nominative), eine mehrzeilige Zeile (feminine singular nominative), ein mehrzeiliges Gedicht (neuter singular nominative), mehrere mehrzeilige Texte (plural). The endings change in other cases and with different determiners.

Usage spans several domains. In literature, mehrzeilige refers to verses or stanzas that extend over multiple lines. In computing and data formats, mehrzeilige strings, mehrzeilige Kommentare or mehrzeilige Felder describe elements that extend across lines. Many programming languages support constructs that create multi-line content, such as block comments or multi-line strings, which are commonly described as mehrzeilig in German technical writing. In documentation and styling contexts, the term helps distinguish between single-line and multi-line formats.

Related concepts include the base adjective mehrzeilig and its inflected forms, as well as terms like Zeile, Text, und Kommentar. While mehrzeilig is widely understood in technical and literary contexts, the more general everyday usage often favors simpler phrasing such as mehrzeiliges Textstück or mehrzeiliges Gedicht, depending on gender and number.