abscissa

[ab-sis-uh] /æbˈsɪs ə/

noun, plural abscissas, abscissae

[ab-sis-ee] /æbˈsɪs i/ (Show IPA). Mathematics

(in plane Cartesian coordinates) the x-coordinate of a point: its distance from the y-axis measured parallel to the x-axis.

Compare ordinate.

Origin of abscissa

1690-1700; feminine of Latin abscissus (past participle of abscindere to abscind)

British Dictionary definitions for abscissa

abscissa

/æbˈsɪsə/

noun (pl) -scissas, -scissae (-ˈsɪsiː)

the horizontal or x-coordinate of a point in a two-dimensional system of Cartesian coordinates. It is the distance from the y-axis measured parallel to the x-axis Compare ordinate

Word Origin

C17: New Latin, originally linea abscissa a cut-off line

Word Origin and History for abscissa

1690s, from Latin abscissa (linea) "(a line) cut off," from fem. past participle of abscindere "to cut off," from ab- "off, away" (see ab-) + scindere "to cut" (see shed (v.)).

abscissa in Science

abscissa

(āb-sĭs'ə)

Plural abscissas or abscissae (āb-sĭs'ē)
The distance of a point from the y-axis on a graph in the Cartesian coordinate system. It is measured parallel to the x-axis. For example, a point having coordinates (2,3) has 2 as its abscissa. Compare ordinate.

abscissa in Technology

mathematics
The horizontal or x coordinate on an (x, y) graph; the input of a function against which the output is plotted.
The vertical or y coordinate is the "ordinate".
See Cartesian coordinates.
(1997-07-08)