Ordinate/ˈɔːrdɪnət/ Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Graph Position Relates to a point's vertical position on a graph, measured on the y-axis. Check the ordinate to find how high the ball went. Pro Tip 2/3Paired with Abscissa Always used with an abscissa to locate points in a coordinate system. The ordinate is 5 when the abscissa is 3. Pro Tip 3/3Quadrants Reference An ordinate's sign (+ or -) can determine the quadrant of a point. An ordinate of -2 places the point in the lower quadrants.