topology
Americannoun
-
the study of those properties of geometric forms that remain invariant under certain transformations, as bending or stretching.
-
Also called point set topology. the study of limits in sets considered as collections of points.
-
a collection of open sets making a given set a topological space.
noun
-
the branch of mathematics concerned with generalization of the concepts of continuity, limit, etc
-
Former name: analysis situs. a branch of geometry describing the properties of a figure that are unaffected by continuous distortion, such as stretching or knotting
-
maths a family of subsets of a given set S, such that S is a topological space
-
the arrangement and interlinking of computers in a computer network
-
the study of the topography of a given place, esp as far as it reflects its history
-
the anatomy of any specific bodily area, structure, or part
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of topology
Explanation
Topology is a kind of math — it's the study of shapes that can be stretched and moved while points on the shape continue to stay close to each other In the branch of geometry known as topology, two objects are equivalent if you can make them resemble each other by stretching, bending, or twisting them. This makes sense if you imagine two rubber bands: you can manipulate them into squares or ovals, and they are still the same. In computer science, topology refers to the way elements of a network are arranged. And in the 1650s, topology was the study of "the location where plants are found."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Topology in these systems can make some regions of such a metamaterial particularly floppy or stiff.
From Science Daily • Jan. 25, 2024
“They can get the sense of a tent, but you won’t get rained on,” said Peter Lin, head of the Topology Travel Agency in Taiwan.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 22, 2020
Topology pioneer Theoretical physicist and Nobel prizewinner David Thouless died on 6 April, aged 84.
From Nature • Apr. 9, 2019
Topology is a field of mathematics that studies properties of an object that do not change even when that object is twisted or deformed.
From Scientific American • May 25, 2018
Topology, tō-pol′ō-ji, n. the art of aiding the memory by associating things with places.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
