Phrase guide

free group

noun · 1 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.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A group that has a presentation without relators; equivalently, a free product of some number of copies of Z.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: group-theory, mathematics, sciences

Examples

  • Given a set S of "free generators" of a free group, let S−1 be the set of inverses of the generators, which are in one-to-one correspondence with the generators (the two sets are disjoint), then let (S∪S−1)^* be the Kleene closure of the union of those two sets. For any string w in the Kleene closure let r(w) be its reduced form, obtained by cutting out any occurrences of the form xx−1 or x−1x where x∈S. Noting that r(r(w)) = r(w) for any string w, define an equivalence relation ∼ such that u∼v if and only if r(u)=r(v). Then let the underlying set of the free group generated by S be the quotient set (S∪S−1)^*/∼ and let its operator be concatenation followed by reduction.
  • 2002, Gilbert Baumslag, B.9 Free and Relatively Free Groups, Alexander V. Mikhalev, Günter F. Pilz, The Concise Handbook of Algebra, Kluwer Academic, page 102, The free groups in V then all take the form H/V(H), where H is a suitably chosen absolutely free group.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Icelandic: frjáls grúpa — group whose presentation consists of generators
  • Italian: gruppo libero — group whose presentation consists of generators