The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. 2002.
coordinates
A set of numbers, or a single number, that locates a point on a line, on a plane, or in space. If the point is known to be on a given line, only one number is needed to locate it. If the point is known to be on a given plane, two numbers are needed. If the point is known to be located in space, three numbers are needed.