Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

abelian

Adjective
/əˈbiːliən/
Definition
Relating to a group in which the operation is commutative.
Examples
  • The set of integers under addition is an abelian group.
  • In an abelian group, for any two elements a and b, the equation a * b = b * a holds true.
Meaning
In mathematics, particularly in group theory, ‘abelian’ describes a type of algebraic structure where the result of applying an operation to two elements does not depend on the order of the elements.
Synonyms
  • Commutative
  • Associative