Phrase guide

direct limit

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

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Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A set of equivalence classes which partition the disjoint union of the members of a direct system; each equivalence class being a sort of “drainage basin” of the mappings (of the morphisms) of the direct system, if these are analogically considered as “rivers”. (If i<k,j<k in the indexing poset, then there exist f_ik:A_i→A_k and f_jk:A_j→A_k. If a_i∈A_i,a_j∈A_j such that f_ik(a_i)=f_jk(a_j) then a_i∼a_j. If k = j then f_jj(a_j)=a_j,f_ij(a_i)=a_j.)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: algebra, mathematics, sciences

Examples

  • A direct limit has “canonical functions” which map each element of the disjoint union to its equivalence class.
  • Direct limits in the algebraic sense are models of category-theoretic colimits.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a colimit

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: category-theory, computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.