rectilinear

Definition: Adjective: (1) ~ optics, ~ system: are those in which images of straight lines are themselves straight, not distorted. * Such optics or systems are corrected for distortion and spherical aberration. (2) ~ propagation: is that in which a wavefront travels a straight-line path e.g. of light when it moves through a medium of constant refractive index. (3) ~ scanning: that in which the scanning head moves in straight lines, as opposed to e.g. in a circule.

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