Sublijnen

Sublijnen is a Dutch term that can refer to lines that run beneath another line or to subordinate lines in various contexts. The word is not commonly used in everyday Dutch; in most standard writing the related verb onderlijnen (to underline) or terms such as roosterlijnen or gridlines are preferred for specific technical meanings.

Etymology and usage notes

The term is formed from the prefix sub- (below, under) and lijn (line). As a noun or verb, sublijnen appears mainly in technical or descriptive texts and is less common in everyday language. In standard Dutch, writers usually choose more specific terms depending on the context, such as onderlijnen for emphasis in text or gridlines for graph-related lines.

Applications

In typography and document design, sublijnen may be used to describe lines added under headings or subpoints to convey structure, though onderlijnen is the typical term for emphasizing text. In data visualization and technical drawings, sublines can refer to secondary or minor lines in charts and diagrams that help to organize information without dominating the main data line. In layout and publishing, sublines sometimes denote auxiliary lines used to separate content segments or to guide the reader’s eye.

Language and terminology

Because sublijnen are relatively rare in everyday Dutch, many writers favor clearer, more established terms depending on the domain. When translating from English technical texts that use “sublines,” Dutch editors often replace it with a more precise term such as onderlijnen, roosterlijnen, of gridlines.

See also

Onderlijnen, onderlijning, roosterlijnen, gridlines.