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Why we call a "vector space homomorphism" as a "linear transformation" ?

I guess that because it transforms a homogeneous linear polynomial in to a homogeneous linear polynomial. Is it correct ? or is there any other reason for this ?

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    a homogeneous polynomial is a polynomial whose non zero terms all have the same degree – 2017-01-10
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    I would bet that "linear transformation" was terminology used before "homomorphism." (Edit: [indeed](http://jeff560.tripod.com/mathword.html), by nearly 100 years). – 2017-01-10
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    Looking at [earliest known uses of the term *linear*](http://jeff560.tripod.com/l.html), it seems *linear equation* was used in 1816, *linear operator* in 1837, and *linear function* and *linear transformation* in 1843. So I would guess linear transformations were originally called such because they appear in linear equations. – 2017-01-10
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    A really use full information. Thank you Rahul. – 2017-01-10

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Because it's literally "linear". In any vector space a line is for the form $tx+y$, with $t\in\mathbb F$ and $x,y$ two fixed points. If you apply a linear transformation $T$ to the points in the line, you get points of the form $$ T(tx+y)=t\,Tx+Ty, $$ another line. So $T$ takes lines to lines: "linear".

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    So does translation, though, and that's not a linear map – 2017-01-10
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    If this is wrong, feel free to explain why the word "linear" is used. – 2017-01-10