Phrase guide

Yoneda lemma

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.

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Given a category C with an object A, let H be a hom functor represented by A, and let F be any functor (not necessarily representable) from C to Sets, then there is a natural isomorphism between Nat(H,F), the set of natural transformations from H to F, and the set F(A). (Any natural transformation α from H to F is determined by what α_A( mbox id_A) is.)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

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

Examples

  • As a corollary of the Yoneda lemma, given a pair of contravariant hom functors #92;mbox#123;Hom#125;(-,A) and #92;mbox#123;Hom#125;(-,B), then any natural transformation #92;alpha from #92;mbox#123;Hom#125;(-,A) to #92;mbox#123;Hom#125;(-,B) is determined by the choice of some function f#58;A#92;rightarrowB to map the identity #92;mbox#123;id#125;#95;A#58;A#92;rightarrowA to, by the component #92;alpha#95;A#58;#92;mbox#123;Hom#125;(A,A)#92;rightarrow#92;mbox#123;Hom#125;(A,B) of #92;alpha. This implies that the Yoneda functor is fully faithful, which in turn implies that Yoneda embeddings are possible.
  • • Yoneda Lemma: Nat(Hom(A,–), F) ≅ F(A) ∴ Nat(Hom(A,–), Hom(B,–)) ≅ Hom(B,A) ∴ A ≅ B iff Hom(A,–) ≅ Hom(B,–) i.e. A is isomorphic to B if and only if A's network of relations is isomorphic to B's network of relations.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Lemma named after the Japanese mathematician Nobuo Yoneda (1930–1996).

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 米田引理 (Mǐtián yǐnlǐ) — theorem which states that there is a natural isomorphism...
  • French: lemme de Yoneda — theorem which states that there is a natural isomorphism...
  • German: Lemma von Yoneda — theorem which states that there is a natural isomorphism...
  • Italian: lemma di Yoneda — theorem which states that there is a natural isomorphism...
  • Japanese: 米田の補題 — theorem which states that there is a natural isomorphism...
  • Korean: 요네다 보조정리 — theorem which states that there is a natural isomorphism...
  • Portuguese: lema de Yoneda — theorem which states that there is a natural isomorphism...
  • Spanish: lema de Yoneda — theorem which states that there is a natural isomorphism...