abscissa

English

A point in the Cartesian plane; x is the abscissa.

Etymology

From Latin abscissa, feminine of abscissus, perfect passive participle of abscindō ‎(cut off). See abscind.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA(key): /æbˈsɪs.ə/
•  Audio (US) (file)
• Hyphenation: ab‧scis‧sa

Noun

abscissa ‎(plural abscissas or abscissae or abscissæ)

1. (geometry) The first of the two terms by which a point is referred to, in a system of fixed rectilinear coordinate (Cartesian coordinate) axes. The abscissa is also known as the "x" coordinate of a point, shown on the horizontal line, with the ordinate, also known as the "y" coordinate, shown on the vertical line. [First attested in the late 17th century.][1]
The point ${\displaystyle (3,2)}$ has 3 as its abscissa and 2 as its ordinate.

Usage notes

Originally, it referred to the portion of a line between a fixed point on that line and the intersection of that line with an ordinate.[1]

References

1. Lesley Brown (editor), The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition (Oxford University Press, 2003 [1933], ISBN 978-0-19-860575-7), page 8

Latin

Etymology

From abscissus, perfect passive participle of abscindō ‎(tear away)

Noun

abscissa f ‎(genitive abscissae); first declension

abscissa

abscissā

Portuguese

Noun

abscissa f (plural abscissas)

1. (geometry) abscissa (first of two coordinates)

Swedish

Noun

abscissa c

1. Alternative spelling of abskissa; abscissa

Declension

Inflection of abscissa
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative abscissa abscissan abscissor abscissorna
Genitive abscissas abscissans abscissors abscissornas