Outline
/ˈaʊtˌlaɪn/noun
A line or set of lines that marks the outer edge of something, or a brief summary of the main points.
Did you know?The word is a straightforward English compound of out + line, but its root line comes from Latin linea, from linum meaning “flax,” because the first lines were threads, cords, and stretched fibers.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
English
ūt
“out, outward”
Old English
English
līn
“line, cord, thread”
Latin
Latin
linea
“a linen thread or string; a line”
14th Century
English
out line
“a line drawn outside or around something”
16th Century
English
outline
“the outer line or boundary of an object”
Modern English
English
outline
“the outer edge of something; a summary of main points”