What does the line above a vowel mean?

The line above a vowel, also known as a macron, indicates that the vowel is long. This means that it is pronounced with its full, long sound, rather than its short sound.

For example:

* ā is the long sound of the vowel "a" as in "fate"

* ē is the long sound of the vowel "e" as in "beet"

* ī is the long sound of the vowel "i" as in "time"

* ō is the long sound of the vowel "o" as in "go"

* ū is the long sound of the vowel "u" as in "tube"

Macrons are commonly used in phonetic transcription, dictionaries, and some educational materials to indicate the pronunciation of words.