linea

Linea is the Italian and Latin word for line. In English-language technical and scientific usage, linea and its plural lineae are adopted to denote a mark, edge, or sequence that runs through a surface or structure. The term derives from Latin linea, meaning a thread or string, reflecting its sense as both a single line and a line of items.

In anatomy, several terms with linea describe anatomical features: linea alba, a fibrous seam along the midline of the abdomen; linea aspera, a longitudinal ridge on the posterior femur; and linea nigra, a pigmented line that can appear on the abdomen during pregnancy. In physics and astronomy, a spectral line denotes light at a specific wavelength. In industry, line and product line describe a production line or a family of related goods.

Beyond technical uses, linea is a general label for lines, boundaries, or sequences in design, linguistics, and everyday language, particularly in Italian and other languages with Latin roots.