y-axis

[ wahy-ak-sis ]

noun

, Mathematics.

, plural y-ax·es [wahy, -ak-seez].

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.

y-axis

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

y-axis

/ 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of y-axis¹

First recorded in 1925–30

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