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In mathematics, an operad is a structure that consists of abstract operations, each one having a fixed finite number of inputs (arguments) and one output, as well as a specification of how to compose these operations. Given an operad O, one defines an algebra over O to be a set together with concrete operations on this set that behave just like the abstract operations of O. For instance, there is a Lie operad L such that the algebras over L are precisely the Lie algebras; in a sense L abstractly encodes the operations that are common to all Lie algebras. An operad is to its algebras as a group

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Commons category
Operads
time of discovery or invention
1969-00-00
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~22 min read

Article

31 sections
Contents
  • History
  • Intuition
  • Definition
  • Non-symmetric operad
  • Symmetric operad
  • Morphisms
  • In other categories
  • Algebraist definition
  • Understanding the axioms
  • Associativity axiom
  • Identity axiom
  • Examples
  • Endomorphism operad in sets and operad algebras
  • Endomorphism operad in vector spaces and operad algebras
  • "Little something" operads
  • Rooted trees
  • Swiss-cheese operad
  • Associative operad
  • Terminal symmetric operad
  • Operads from the braid groups
  • Linear algebra
  • Commutative-ring operad and Lie operad
  • Free operads
  • Clones
  • Operads in homotopy theory
  • Higher-order operad
  • See also
  • Notes
  • Citations
  • References
  • External links

In mathematics, an operad is a structure that consists of abstract operations, each one having a fixed finite number of inputs (arguments) and one output, as well as a specification of how to compose these operations. Given an operad O, one defines an algebra over O to be a set together with concrete operations on this set that behave just like the abstract operations of O. For instance, there is a Lie operad L such that the algebras over L are precisely the Lie algebras; in a sense L abstractly encodes the operations that are common to all Lie algebras. An operad is to its algebras as a group is to its group actions.

== History == Operads originate in algebraic topology; they were introduced to characterize iterated loop spaces by J. Michael Boardman and Rainer M. Vogt in 1968 and by J. Peter May in 1972.

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