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Webster 1913 Edition

Axis

‖

Ax′is

,
Noun.
[L.]
(Zool.)
The spotted deer (
Cervus axis
or
Axis maculata
) of India, where it is called
hog deer
and
parrah
(Moorish name).

Ax′is

,
Noun.
;
pl.
Axes
.
[L.
axis
axis, axle. See
Axle
.]
A straight line, real or imaginary, passing through a body, on which it revolves, or may be supposed to revolve; a line passing through a body or system around which the parts are symmetrically arranged.
2.
(Math.)
A straight line with respect to which the different parts of a magnitude are symmetrically arranged;
as, the
axis
of a cylinder, i. e., the
axis
of a cone, that is, the straight line joining the vertex and the center of the base; the
axis
of a circle, any straight line passing through the center.
3.
(Bot.)
The stem; the central part, or longitudinal support, on which organs or parts are arranged; the central line of any body.
Gray.
4.
(Anat.)
(a)
The second vertebra of the neck, or
vertebra dentata
.
(b)
Also used of the body only of the vertebra, which is prolonged anteriorly within the foramen of the first vertebra or atlas, so as to form the odontoid process or peg which serves as a pivot for the atlas and head to turn upon.
5.
(Crystallog.)
One of several imaginary lines, assumed in describing the position of the planes by which a crystal is bounded.
6.
(Fine Arts)
The primary or secondary central line of any design.
Anticlinal axis
(Geol.)
,
a line or ridge from which the strata slope downward on the two opposite sides.
–
Synclinal axis
,
a line from which the strata slope upward in opposite directions, so as to form a valley.
–
Axis cylinder
(Anat.)
,
the neuraxis or essential, central substance of a nerve fiber; – called also
axis band
,
axial fiber
, and
cylinder axis
.
–
Axis in peritrochio
,
the wheel and axle, one of the mechanical powers.
–
Axis of a curve
(Geom.)
,
a straight line which bisects a system of parallel chords of a curve; called a
principal axis
, when cutting them at right angles, in which case it divides the curve into two symmetrical portions, as in the parabola, which has one such axis, the ellipse, which has two, or the circle, which has an infinite number. The two axes of the ellipse are the
major axis
and the
minor axis
, and the two axes of the hyperbola are the
transverse axis
and the
conjugate axis
.
–
Axis of a lens
,
the straight line passing through its center and perpendicular to its surfaces.
–
Axis of a microscope
or
Axis of a telescope
,
the straight line with which coincide the axes of the several lenses which compose it.
–
Axes of coördinates in a plane
,
two straight lines intersecting each other, to which points are referred for the purpose of determining their relative position: they are either rectangular or oblique.
–
Axes of coördinates in space
,
the three straight lines in which the coördinate planes intersect each other.
–
Axis of a balance
,
that line about which it turns.
–
Axis of oscillation
,
of a pendulum, a right line passing through the center about which it vibrates, and perpendicular to the plane of vibration.
–
Axis of polarization
,
the central line around which the prismatic rings or curves are arranged.
Brewster.
–
Axis of revolution
(Descriptive Geom.)
,
a straight line about which some line or plane is revolved, so that the several points of the line or plane shall describe circles with their centers in the fixed line, and their planes perpendicular to it, the line describing a surface of revolution, and the plane a solid of revolution.
–
Axis of symmetry
(Geom.)
,
any line in a plane figure which divides the figure into two such parts that one part, when folded over along the axis, shall coincide with the other part.
–
Axis of the
equator, ecliptic, horizon
(or other circle considered with reference to the sphere on which it lies)
,
the diameter of the sphere which is perpendicular to the plane of the circle.
Hutton.
–
Axis of the Ionic capital
(Arch.)
,
a line passing perpendicularly through the middle of the eye of the volute.
–
Neutral axis
(Mech.)
,
the line of demarcation between the horizontal elastic forces of tension and compression, exerted by the fibers in any cross section of a girder.
–
Optic axis of a crystal
,
the direction in which a ray of transmitted light suffers no double refraction. All crystals, not of the isometric system, are either uniaxial or biaxial.
–
Optic axis
,
Visual axis
(Opt.)
,
the straight line passing through the center of the pupil, and perpendicular to the surface of the eye.
–
Radical axis of two circles
(Geom.)
,
the straight line perpendicular to the line joining their centers and such that the tangents from any point of it to the two circles shall be equal to each other.
–
Spiral axis
(Arch.)
,
the axis of a twisted column drawn spirally in order to trace the circumvolutions without.
–
Axis of abscissas
and
Axis of ordinates
.
See
Abscissa
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Axis

AX'IS

,
Noun.
plu.
axes. [L.; Gr.]
1.
The straight line, real or imaginary, passing through a body, or which it revolves, or may revolve; as the axis of the earth.
2.
In geometry, a straight line in a plain figure, about which it revolves to produce a solid.
3.
In conic sections, a right line dividing the section into two equal parts, and cutting all its ordinates at right angles.
4.
In mechanics, the axis of a balance is that line about which it moves, or rather turns.
The axis of oscillation is a right line parallel to the horizon passing through the center, about which a pendulum vibrates.
The axis in peritrochio is a wheel concentric with the base of a cylinder, and movable with it about its axis.
5.
In optics, a particular ray of light from any object which falls perpendicularly on the eye.
6.
In architecture, spiral axis is the axis of a twisted column spirally drawn in order to trace the circumvolutions without.
Aris of the Ionic capital is a line passing perpendicularly through the middle of the eye of the volute.
The axis of a vessel is an imaginary line passing through the middle of it, perpendicular to its base, and equally distant from its sides.
In botany, axis is a taper column in the center of some flowers or catkins, about which the other parts are disposed.
In anatomy, axis is the name of the second verteber of the neck; it has a tooth which enters into the first verteber, and this tooth is by some called the axis.

Definition 2024

Axis

Axis

See also: axis and áxis

Translingual

Axis axis stag

Etymology

From Latin axis

Proper noun

Axis m

  1. A taxonomic genus within the family Cervidae – the chital, of India.

Hypernyms

English

Children waving German, Italian, and Japanese flags of 1938.

Proper noun

Axis

  1. The alliance (in effect before and during World War II) of Germany, Italy, Japan, and several minor allied countries, which opposed the Allies.

Synonyms

Translations

See also

axis

axis

See also: Axis and áxis

English

Noun

axis ‎(plural axes)

  1. (geometry) An imaginary line around which an object spins (an axis of rotation) or is symmetrically arranged (an axis of symmetry).
    • 2012 March 1, Henry Petroski, “Opening Doors”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, page 112-3:
      A doorknob of whatever roundish shape is effectively a continuum of levers, with the axis of the latching mechanism—known as the spindle—being the fulcrum about which the turning takes place.
    The Earth rotates once a day on its axis
  2. (mathematics) A fixed one-dimensional figure, such as a line or arc, with an origin and orientation and such that its points are in one-to-one correspondence with a set of numbers; an axis forms part of the basis of a space or is used to position and locate data in a graph (a coordinate axis)
  3. (anatomy) The second cervical vertebra of the spine
  4. (psychiatry) A form of classification and descriptions of mental disorders or disabilities used in manuals such as the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)
  5. (botany) The main stem or central part about which organs or plant parts such as branches are arranged
Synonyms
Coordinate terms
  • (cervical vertebra): atlas
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations

Etymology 2

From Latin, name of an Indian animal mentioned by the Roman senator Pliny.

Noun

axis ‎(plural axises)

  1. Axis axis, a deer native to Asia.
Synonyms
See also

Latin

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱs- ‎(“axis”); see also Lithuanian ašis ‎(“axle”), Sanskrit अक्ष ‎(akṣa, “axle, axis, balance beam”), Ancient Greek ἄξων ‎(áxōn, “axle”), Old High German ahsa ‎(“axle”), and Old English eax, English axle, eax, Icelandic öxull, öksull.

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈak.sis/, [ˈak.sɪs]

Noun

axis m ‎(genitive axis); third declension

  1. An axletree, wagon, car, chariot.
  2. The North Pole.
  3. The heavens or a region or clime of these.
  4. A board, plank.

Inflection

Third declension i-stem.

Case Singular Plural
nominative axis axēs
genitive axis axium
dative axī axibus
accusative axem axēs
ablative axe axibus
vocative axis axēs

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Italian: asse
  • Occitan: ais, èish
  • Portuguese: eixo
  • Romanian: ax, axă
  • Spanish: eje
  • Venetian: ase

References

Etymology

From Latin axis ‎(“axle, axis”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈæksɪs/
  • (Australia) IPA(key): /ˈæksəs/
  • Hyphenation: ax‧is

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