LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
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“line” in Latin

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

line s.
Extension in length, linea (general term); lineamentum (as supposed extension; also as a stroke made, Petronius, 79, 4; but no where in Cic., who uses it always in the sense of a geometrical line, or a lineament of the countenance). A broad line, limes (a stripe, as Plin., 37, 10, 69; nigram materiam [gemmae Veientanae] distinguit limes albus, a broad white line: a straight line, linea recta: a curved line, linea curva: a parallel line, parallelos linea (Vitr., 5, 6); in or after a line, ad lineam: to draw a line, lineam ducere; with anything, aliqua re or ex aliqua re (e.g., with a color, colore or ex colore; atramento or ex atramento): to divide anything by a line, aliquid dividere linea: Hence, (a) a line in the face or in the hands, incisura (☞ lineamenta [in later writers, lineae] oris, not = lines on the face, but the characteristic features or lineaments). (b) In astronomy, the equator, aequinoctialis circulus (Varr., L.L., 9, 18, § 24, Muell. ☞ aequator is not Latin). To cross the line, *in regiones trans circulum aequinoctialem sitas venire. (c) A boundary, generally, finis: regio (district).
Generally, direction, linea: ordo (order, succession): in a straight line, linea recta; ad lineam (perpendicularly, upward or downward); recto itinere, recta via (in a straight direction of the road): recto ordine (in a straight row): aequa fronte (with a straight front, of soldiers, ships; e.g., procedere): in a straight line with anything, recta alicujus rei regione (directly over against, as Caes., B.G., 6, 24; whereas e regione alicujus rei or exadversum aliquid is = over against, generally). Hence, that which forms a line, row: (a) Verse, line in a book, versus (in poetry; ☞ not linea. nec ab extrema parte versuum abundantes litteras in alterum transfert, sed ibidem statim subjicit circumducitque, when the lines are too long; Suet., Oct., p. 263). To write a few lines to anybody, aliquid litterarum ad aliquem dare: he has not written a single line, ne verbum quidem scripsit: line by line (in poetry), per singulos versus: to show in a few lines, paucis exponere: (b) (in military language), ordo (a single line of soldiers): acies (troops in battle array). The first, second, third line in battle, acies prima, media, extrema: in line, ordinatim; e.g., ire (opposed to passim ire; Vid: Brut. in Cic., Ep., 11, 13, 2): in close and covered line, munito agmine; e.g., incedere (Sall., Jug., 46, 3): to place themselves in line, ordinatim consistere (of the soldiers forming themselves; Vid: Nep., Iphic., 2, 2): to step out of the line, ordine egredi (of one or more): ordines deserere or relinquere (of several): to draw up the line, copias ordinare (general term): ordines or aciem instruere (for battle): a soldier of the line, miles legionarius (general term, a legionary soldier): miles gravis armaturae (a heavy-armed soldier): troops of the line, legiones (the legions): milites gravis armaturae; gravis armatura (heavy-armed soldiers): milites aciei destinati (troops appointed for the line of battle; all as opposed to light troops and to cavalry): ship of the line, *navis aciei destinata. (c) In pedigrees, linea (Vid: Paullus, Dig., 38, 10, 9, στέμματα cognationum directo limine in duas lineas separantur, quarum altera est superior [the ascending], altera inferior [the descending]: ex superiore autem, et secundo gradu transversae lineae [the collateral lines] pendent): By the paternal, maternal line, a patre; amatre; paterno, materno genere; ex paterna linea, ex materna linea (e.g., venire, Cod. Just., 5, 9, 10): from them sprang two lines of Octavii, ab iis duplex Octaviorum familia defluxit: to be related in a direct line to anyone, linea directs contingere alicujus domum (after Suet., Galb., 2); arctissimo gradu contingere aliquem (e.g., on the maternal side, a matre; Suet., Oct., 4): per arctissimos gradus ad aliquem primam sui originem perducere (in a direct line; Vid: Sen., De Ben., 3, 28, 2). (d) In fortification or sieges, opus (general term, ramparts and trenches): fossa, (a trench). A line of circumvallation [Vid: CIRCUMVALLATION]: to draw a line round a place, circummunire aliquid opere or operibus; aliquid circumdare fossa: to occupy the whole line with troops, *per totum opus milites disponere.
A string, cord, linea, linum.
line v.
interiorem alicujus rei partem vestire (aliqua re, with anything; Vid: Cic., Verr., 4, 55, 120): *munire intus aliqua re.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for line?
The usual Latin words for “line” are līnea, līneāmentum, ōrdō; also līnum, Petrōnius, līmes. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.