---
title: Intercept
description: "The intercept, with the slope, define a linear regression. #### Details It's just this point (in the plot below) where the straight line of the regression cuts the y axis, the x = 0 line. ![](https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/linearRegression2intercept-1024x683.png) The main place you…"
url: "https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/glossary2/intercept/"
updated: "2024-04-16"
category: All OM book glossary entries
---

# Intercept

The intercept, with the slope, define a linear regression.

#### Details

It's just this point (in the plot below) where the straight line of the regression cuts the y axis, the x = 0 line.

![](https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/linearRegression2intercept-1024x683.png)

The main place you are likely to encounter the issue of intercepts is in multi-level modelling of trajectories of change where allowing "free intercepts" for different clients amounts to recognising that different clients start at different scores on whatever measure is being used.

#### Try also

[Multilevel models](https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/glossary2/multilevel-models-modelling-mlm/)
[Regression and linear regression](https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/glossary2/regression-and-linear-regression/)
[Slope (in linear regression)](https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/glossary2/slope-in-linear-regression/)

#### Chapters

Doesn’t feature in any of the chapters though the analyses mentioned in Chapters 7 and 8 use related methods.

#### Online resources

Not yet.

#### Dates

First created 16.iv.24.