Engineering English
Dimension Line
Engineering Fundamentals · Tools, Equipment & Measurements · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: A dimension line is a thin, solid line with arrowheads at both ends that indicates the extent of a dimension on an engineering drawing. It is typically placed between extension lines and contains the numerical measurement.
Example in context
“The dimension line between the two extension lines shows the overall length of the plate as 150 mm.”
“İki uzantı çizgisi arasındaki boyut çizgisi, plakanın toplam uzunluğunu 150 mm olarak gösterir.”
Where engineers use it
Dimension lines are fundamental in engineering drawings for conveying measurable sizes. Engineers place them parallel to the feature being measured and break them for the numerical value. They must be drawn with standard arrowhead angles to avoid ambiguity.
Synonyms: size line, measurement line
In Tools, Equipment & Measurements
A thin continuous line, terminated by arrowheads or slashes, that spans between two extension lines and carries the numerical size of the feature it measures. Its placement tells the reader exactly which distance the value applies to.
“The checker moved the dimension line outside the outline so that the arrowheads no longer crossed the visible edge of the flange.”
Practice: can you use “Dimension Line” at work?
A quality inspector flags a drawing where the dimension line overlaps with a hidden line. The engineer must correct the placement to ensure readability per ANSI standards.
Show a model answer
“Check that the dimension line for the hole diameter is placed correctly.”
“Dimension Line” in 21 languages
| English | Dimension Line |
|---|---|
| Turkish | boyut çizgisi |
| French | ligne de cote |
| German | Maßlinie |
| Spanish | línea de cota |
| Chinese | 尺寸线 |
| Arabic | خط البعد |
| Portuguese | linha de cota |
| Russian | размерная линия |
| Japanese | 寸法線 |
| Italian | linea di dimensione |
| Vietnamese | đường kích thước |
| Hindi | आयाम रेखा |
| Thai | เส้นบอกขนาด |
| Indonesian | garis ukuran |
| Korean | 치수선 |
| Bengali | মাত্রা রেখা |
| Dutch | maatlijn |
| Swedish | måttlinje |
| Finnish | mittaviiva |
| Ukrainian | розмірна лінія |
Frequently asked questions
What does Dimension Line mean in engineering?
A dimension line is a thin, solid line with arrowheads at both ends that indicates the extent of a dimension on an engineering drawing. It is typically placed between extension lines and contains the numerical measurement. In Engineering Fundamentals, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Dimension Line?
Dimension Line is pronounced /dɪˈmɛnʃən laɪn/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Dimension Line used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The dimension line between the two extension lines shows the overall length of the plate as 150 mm.”
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