English Reference

Word

topological

Phoneticstopo·log·i·cal

US/təpəˈɫɑdʒɪkəɫ/

UK/tˌɒpəlˈɒdʒɪkəl/

Definition

adj. relating to the study of shapes and spaces, especially how they can be stretched or twisted without tearing. It focuses on the properties that stay the same even if the shape changes slightly.

adj. relating to or involving topology, the branch of mathematics concerned with the properties of space that are preserved under continuous deformations. Often describes structures or properties that remain invariant despite non-rigid transformations.

Examples

“The two shapes are topologically identical.”

“In computer science, a topological sort helps determine the correct order for processing tasks.”

“The surface of a donut is topologically distinct from a sphere because it contains a single hole that cannot be removed without tearing the material.”

Examples

simple

“The two shapes are topologically identical.”

contextual

“In computer science, a topological sort helps determine the correct order for processing tasks.”

complex

“The surface of a donut is topologically distinct from a sphere because it contains a single hole that cannot be removed without tearing the material.”

Etymology

From topology + -ical.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

topologicalAdjectivetopologyNoun

Domain

Mathematics

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/topological

English Reference