y-axis
Americannoun
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Also called axis of ordinates. (in a plane Cartesian coordinate system) the axis, usually vertical, along which the ordinate is measured and from which the abscissa is measured.
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(in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system) the axis along which values of y are measured and at which both x and z equal zero.
noun
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The vertical axis of a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system.
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One of the three axes of a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of y-axis
First recorded in 1925–30
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Vocabulary lists containing y-axis
Expressions and Equations
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Geometry - Introductory
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Geometry - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This is clearly illustrated by a graphical presentation of the free energy change equation, in which ΔG is plotted on the y axis versus T on the x axis:
From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019
The secondary y axis on the right side indicates the percentage of positions per window covered in the alignment.
From Nature • Jan. 22, 2014
Graphically, the y-intercept is the y coordinate of the point where the graph of the line crosses the y axis.
From Textbooks • Sep. 19, 2013
The y axis values should be in the scale of 0–50 pmoles per 10cells, rather than 0–500pmoles per 10cells.
From Nature • Jul. 24, 2013
Any point on the graph is represented by two numbers, corresponding to the distances along the x axis and up the y axis.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
