abscissa

noun

ab·​scis·​sa ab-ˈsi-sə 

plural abscissas also abscissae ab-ˈsi-(ˌ)sē 

: the horizontal coordinate of a point in a plane Cartesian coordinate system obtained by measuring parallel to the x-axis compare ordinate

Illustration of abscissa

• AP abscissa of point P

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin (short for linea abscissa, literally, "cut-off line"), going back to Latin, feminine of abscissus, past participle of abscindere "to tear off or away," from ab- ab- + scindere "to split, separate, tear apart," going back to Indo-European *ski-n-d-, nasal present formation from the base *skei̯̯d- "split, separate" — more at shed entry 1

First Known Use

1694, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

abscissa

noun

ab·​scis·​sa ab-ˈsis-ə 

: the number in an ordered pair of numbers (as x in (x, y)) that gives the location of a point along the x-axis

called also x-coordinate

compare ordinate