z-axis

American  

[zee-ak-sis] / ˈziˌæk sɪs /

noun

Mathematics.

z-axes plural

1. (in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system) the axis along which values of z are measured and at which both x and y equal zero.

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z-axis British  

noun

1. a reference axis of a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system along which the z- coordinate is measured

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z-axis Scientific  

/ zē′ăk′sĭs /

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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• z-axes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of z-axis

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

z-axis z-axes

He had spent his life building a planar model of his ascent to the presidency, only to get whacked in the head by an unforeseen z-axis.

From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2025

Let the center of Earth be the center of the sphere, with the ray from the center through the North Pole representing the positive z-axis.

From Textbooks ● Mar. 30, 2016

We can add a third dimension, the z-axis, which is perpendicular to both the x-axis and the y-axis.

From Textbooks ● Mar. 30, 2016

To obtain a parameterization, let α be the angle that is swept out by starting at the positive z-axis and ending at the cone, and let k = tan α.

From Textbooks ● Mar. 30, 2016

To represent equations involving three unknowns x, y, z, a third axis is introduced, the z-axis, perpendicular to the plane xy and passing through the intersection of the lines x, y.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 7 "Equation" to "Ethics" by Various

There is no obvious choice for how the x-, y- and z-axes should be oriented.

From Textbooks ● Mar. 30, 2016

The plane containing the x- and z-axes is called the xz-plane, and the y- and z-axes define the yz-plane.

From Textbooks ● Mar. 30, 2016