functor

F4U1N1C3T1O1R1
UK/ˈfʌŋktə/

noun

A function word.

“In the category of categories #92;mathbf#123;Cat#125; the objects are categories and the morphisms are functors.”

Less commonScrabble 12

Meanings

nounfunctor (plural functors)

plural functors

  1. grammarA function word.
  2. object-oriented programmingA function object.
  3. category theoryA category homomorphism; a morphism from a source category to a target category which maps objects to objects and arrows to arrows (either covariantly or contravariantly), in such a way as to preserve morphism composition and identities.

    In the category of categories #92;mathbf#123;Cat#125; the objects are categories and the morphisms are functors.

    3 more examples

    1991, Natalie Wadhwa (translator), Yu. A. Brudnyǐ, N. Ya. Krugljak, Interpolation Functors and Interpolation Spaces, Volume I, Elsevier (North-Holland), page 143, Choosing for U the operation of closure, regularization or relative completion, we obtain from a given functor ℱ∈𝒥ℱ the functors ◌̅F: overrightarrow X→◌̅F( overrightarrow X),F⁰: overrightarrow X→F( overrightarrow X)⁰,Fᶜ: overrightarrow X→F( overrightarrow X)ᶜ.

    Given a homotopical category X and a functor u#58;A#92;rightarrowB, a homotopical u-colimit (resp. u-limit) functor on X will be a homotopically terminal (resp. initial) Kan extension of the identity (50.2) along the induced diagram functor Xᵘ#58;Xᴮ#92;rightarrowXᴬ (47.1).

    2004, William G. Dwyer, Philip S. Hirschhorn, Daniel M. Kan, Jeffrey H. Smith, Homotopy Limit Functors on Model Categories and Homotopical Categories, American Mathematical Society, page 165

    2009, Benoit Fresse, Modules Over Operads and Functors, Springer, Lecture Notes in Mathematics: 1967, page 35, In this chapter, we recall the definition of the category of Σ_*-objects and we review the relationship between Σ_*-objects and functors. In short, a Σ_*-object (in English words, a symmetric sequence of objects, or simply a symmetric object) is the coefficient sequence of a generalized symmetric functor S(M):X→S(M,X), defined by a formula of the form S(M,X)=⨁ ᪲ᵣ₌₀(M(r)⊗X)_(Σᵣ).

  4. functional programmingA structure allowing a function to apply within a generic type, in a way that is conceptually similar to a functor in category theory.

Synonyms & antonyms

Origin

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 函子
  • 函子 (hánzǐ)category theory: category mapping
Finnish funktio-olio, funktori
  • funktio-olioobject-oriented programming: function object
  • funktoricategory theory: category mapping
  • ylinuolicategory theory: category mapping
French foncteur, foncteur
  • foncteurobject-oriented programming: function object
  • foncteurcategory theory: category mapping
German Funktor
  • Funktorcategory theory: category mapping
Hungarian funktor
  • funktorcategory theory: category mapping
Icelandic varpi
  • varpicategory theory: category mapping
Irish feidhmeoir
  • feidhmeoircategory theory: category mapping
Italian funtore
  • funtorecategory theory: category mapping
Japanese 関手
  • 関手 (kanshu)category theory: category mapping
Polish funktor, funktor
  • funktorobject-oriented programming: function object
  • funktorcategory theory: category mapping
Portuguese functor, funtor
  • functorcategory theory: category mapping
  • funtorcategory theory: category mapping
Russian функтор
  • функтор (funktor)category theory: category mapping
Spanish funtor, functor
  • funtorcategory theory: category mapping
  • functorcategory theory: category mapping
Swedish funktor
  • funktorcategory theory: category mapping
Cite this entry
APA

functor. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/functor

MLA

“functor.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/functor. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “functor,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/functor.

Source: functor on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.