y-axis

American  

[wahy-ak-sis] / ˈwaɪˌæk sɪs /

noun

Mathematics.

plural

y-axes

1. 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.

2. (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.

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y-axis British  

noun

1. a reference axis, usually vertical, of a graph or two- or three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system along which the y- coordinate is measured

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y-axis Scientific  

/ wī′ăk′sĭs /

1. The vertical axis of a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system.

2. One of the three axes of a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system.

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Etymology

Origin of y-axis

First recorded in 1925–30

Compare meaning

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

• x-axis vs. y-axis

Example Sentences

Both plots were sourced from the same dataset and should thus be identical—but the plot in one paper has a y-axis with a scale that is about 7,000 times larger than the other.

From Scientific American

The vertical y-axis is the bedroom door, on one side noise, density, debate, ideas; on the other, quiet, space, solitude, privacy.

From New York Times

The increase last month has no recent comparison and was so large that it did not fit on the y-axis of the CBP chart that tracks changes in monthly enforcement data.

From Washington Post

The x-axis is effort; the y-axis is results.

From Seattle Times

On the y-axis, I wrote “Seattle” at the top and “virtual” on the bottom.

From Seattle Times