Definition
Origin
The zero point where coordinate axes meet; in two dimensions it is (0, 0).
What it means
The origin is the coordinate plane’s zero home. The horizontal and vertical axes cross there, and distances or movements on the grid can be described from it. The ordinary meaning “where something began” is a different sense.
Remember it
The origin is zero home: start at (0, 0), then move.
Example
To plot (−3, 2), begin at the origin, move 3 units left, and then 2 units up.
Watch for
A point such as (0, 4) lies on an axis, but it is not the origin because both coordinates are not zero.
Common mix-up
The origin is one point, not either whole axis and not the first quadrant.
Exact meaning
In a coordinate system, the origin is the point where every coordinate value is zero; on a two-dimensional coordinate plane, it is (0, 0).