from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
linear address space
A memory addressing scheme used in processors where the whole
memory can be accessed using a single address that fits in a
single register or instruction. This contrasts with a
{segmented memory} architecture, such as that used on the
{Intel 8086}, where an address is given by an offset from a
base address held in one of the "segment registers". Linear
addressing greatly simplifies programming at the {assembly
language} level but requires more instruction word bits to be
allocated for an address.
(1995-02-16)