Topology
/təˈpɒl.ə.dʒi/noun
The branch of mathematics concerned with properties of space that remain unchanged under continuous deformation.
Did you know?Topology comes from Greek topos, “place,” and -logia, “study,” so its name is literally about studying the hidden nature of place itself.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
tópos
“place, place in a text, position”
Ancient Greek
Greek
-logía
“study, discourse, account”
19th Century
German
Topologie
“term coined in mathematics for the study of spatial relations”
Late 19th Century
French
topologie
“mathematical term adopted into French”
Modern English
English
topology
“the mathematical study of properties preserved under continuous change”
Explore more surprising origins