abscissa
nounUS /æbˈsɪs.ə/
Etymology By ellipsis from Latin [linea] abscissa, feminine of abscissus, perfect passive participle of abscindō (“cut off”). See abscind.
1
Geometry, Mathematics, Sciences The first of the two terms by which a point is referred to, in a system of fixed rectilinear coordinate (Cartesian coordinate) axes.
- The point (3,2) has 3 as its abscissa and 2 as its ordinate.
2
Geometry, Mathematics, Sciences The horizontal line representing an axis of a Cartesian coordinate system, on which the abscissa (sense above) is shown.
- Synonyms
- absciss
- Hypernyms
- coordinate, axis