Isomorphism

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Isomorphism \I`so*mor"phism\, n. [Cf. F. isomorphisme.]
     1. (Crystallog.) A similarity of crystalline form between
        substances of similar composition, as between the
        sulphates of barium ({BaSO4}) and strontium ({SrSO4}). It
        is sometimes extended to include similarity of form
        between substances of unlike composition, which is more


        properly called {hom[oe]omorphism}.
  
     2. (Math.) A one-to-one mapping of one set onto another set
        which preserves the relations between the elements of the
        domains of the sets.
        [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  isomorphism
       n : (biology) similarity or identity of form or shape or
           structure [syn: {isomorphy}]

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  isomorphism
       
           A {bijective} {map} between two objects which
          preserves, in both directions, any structure under
          consideration.  Thus a `group isomorphism' preserves group
          structure; an order isomorphism (between {poset}s) preserves
          the order relation, and so on.  Usually it is clear from
          context what sort of isomorphism is intended.
       
          (1995-03-25)