/awr"dn it', -ayt'/ , n.
Math. (in plane Cartesian coordinates) the y-coordinate of a point: its distance from the x-axis measured parallel to the y-axis. Cf. abscissa .
[ 1670-80; extracted from NL ( linea ) ordinate ( applicata ) (line applied) in order; ordinate (adv.), deriv. of L ordinatus arranged. See ORDINATION ]