noun
ordinate
OR-dih-nit
Ordinate (noun) means In geometry, the value that fixes a point's position on the vertical axis of a coordinate system. Example: “To plot the point, read the ordinate off the vertical axis.”
noun
1
technical In geometry, the value that fixes a point's position on the vertical axis of a coordinate system.
"To plot the point, read the ordinate off the vertical axis."
"The ordinate of the point (3, 7) is 7."
"She calculated the ordinate for each value of x."
2
technical The vertical axis itself in a Cartesian coordinate system, against which the ordinate value is measured.
"The graph shows time along the ordinate."
"Values are plotted against the ordinate on the left of the chart."
How to use ordinate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe up-and-down position of a point on a graph.
When to use it
This is a specialist maths term, rarely used outside geometry and graphing contexts.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
plot the ordinate
ordinate and abscissa
values of the ordinate
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To plot the point, read the _____ off the vertical axis.
Etymology
Ordinate entered English partly from the Middle English adjective and participle ordinat(e), and partly as a direct borrowing from the Latin past participle ōrdinātus, from the verb ōrdinō. It is a doublet of ordain, sharing the same Latin root.
Rhymes for ordinate
See all rhymes for ordinate →Frequently asked questions
What does ordinate mean in maths?
It is the value that shows how far up or down a point sits on the vertical axis of a graph, paired with the abscissa for the horizontal position.
Is ordinate the x or y value?
It is the y value, the vertical coordinate, while the abscissa is the horizontal x value.
Is ordinate related to the word ordain?
Yes, both come from the same Latin root, ōrdinō, making them doublets.
What is the meaning of ordinate?
"ordinate" (noun) means in geometry, the value that fixes a point's position on the vertical axis of a coordinate system.
