noun
The mathematical study of properties preserved under continuous deformations, such as stretching and bending, but not tearing or gluing.
位相幾何学では、コーヒーカップとドーナツは同じ形とみなされる。
In topology, a coffee cup and a doughnut are considered the same shape.
A loanword from English, often used in the same mathematical sense but may also refer to network topology in computing. 位相幾何学 is the native Japanese term and is more formal.
Compound of 位相 (isō, 'phase' or 'topological phase') and 幾何学 (kikagaku, 'geometry'). The term was coined to describe the study of geometric properties invariant under continuous transformations.