major axis

noun

: the axis passing through the foci of an ellipse

Examples of major axis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The pro-Ukrainian mapper DeepState, which compiles its maps from open-source intelligence and testimonies from Ukrainian soldiers, added the unprecedented advance to its map on Sunday, located between the two major axes of advance around the strongholds of Pokrovsk and Konstantynivka. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2025 Orbits are elliptical, and the semi-major axis is the half-diameter of the orbit along the long axis. Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 26 Sep. 2012

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of major axis was in 1879

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Major axis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/major%20axis. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on major axis

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!