abscissa

American  

[ab-sis-uh] / æbˈsɪs ə /

noun

Mathematics.

abscissas, plural abscissae plural

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

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abscissa British  

/ æbˈsɪsə /

noun

1. 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

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abscissa Scientific  

/ ăb-sĭs′ə /

abscissas plural

1. 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.

2. Compare ordinate

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Etymology

Origin of abscissa

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

Compare meaning

How does abscissa compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• ordinate vs. abscissa

Example Sentences

The lowest ERK2 concentration at which the mass signal of the compound was still observed is shown on the abscissa.

From Nature • Apr. 22, 2018

Corrected values for the turbidities obtained were plotted with the turbidity values on the ordinate and the antigen dilutions on the abscissa.

From Myology and Serology of the Avian Family Fringillidae A Taxonomic Study by Stallcup, William B.

The abscissa of the F.P. curve represents the composition of that portion of the original solution which remains liquid at any temperature.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 3 "Frost" to "Fyzabad" by Various

From the Z values thus obtained taken as the ordinate, and the temperature of each experiment as the abscissa, curves were plotted out embodying the results, examples of which are given below.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 821, September 26, 1891 by Various

In this cause-and-effect curve, the first part is slightly convex to the abscissa, the second straight and ascending, and the third concave.

From Response in the Living and Non-Living by Bose, Jagadis Chandra, Sir