isomorphic

What it means

1. not comparablemathematicsRelated by an isomorphism; having a structure-preserving one-to-one correspondence.

   Let A, B be the ordered sets in Figure 10.3. Let C be the direct product of infinitely many copies of the two element chain 2. Then A^C is isomorphic to B^C, but A is not isomorphic to B.

   2003, Bernd Siegfried Walter Schröder, Ordered Sets: An Introduction, page 254

2. not comparablebiologyHaving a similar structure or function to something that is not related genetically or through evolution.

   The fact that different structures can be shown to be functionally isomorphic implies that they are analogous, not homologous.

   1993, Marcus Jacobson, Foundations of Neuroscience, page 106

3. not comparableHaving identical relevant structure; being structure-preserving while undergoing certain invertible transformations.

   For example, in so far as written and spoken English are isomorphic (i.e. have the same structure), they are the same language: there is nothing but their structure that they have in common.

   1981, John Lyons, Language and Linguistics: An Introduction, page 60

In a sentence

Let A, B be the ordered sets in Figure 10.3. Let C be the direct product of infinitely many copies of the two element chain 2. Then A^C is isomorphic to B^C, but A is not isomorphic to B.

2003, Bernd Siegfried Walter Schröder, Ordered Sets: An Introduction, page 254

Where it comes from

1. Ancient Greekῐ̓́σος (ĭ́sos)
2. Englishiso-
3. Ancient Greekμορφή (morphḗ)
4. Englishisomorphic

From iso- + -morphic.