supremum

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UK/səˈpɹiːˌmʌm/Canada, US/səˈpɹiˌmʌm/Australia, New Zealand/səˈpɹiːˌmɐm/

noun

(real analysis): Given a subset X of R, the smallest real number that is ≥ every element of X; (order theory): given a subset X of a partially ordered set P (with partial order ≤), the least element y of P such that every element of X is ≤ y.

UncommonScrabble 14

Meanings

nounsupremum (plural supremums or suprema)

plural supremums · plural suprema

  1. mathematics(real analysis): Given a subset X of R, the smallest real number that is ≥ every element of X; (order theory): given a subset X of a partially ordered set P (with partial order ≤), the least element y of P such that every element of X is ≤ y.

    A sublattice of a lattice is a subset that is closed under pairwise infima and suprema.

    2006, Charalambos D. Aliprantis, Kim C. Border, Infinite Dimensional Analysis: A Hitchhiker's Guide, 3rd edition, Springer, page 8
    2 more examples

    The best way to describe the supremum of S is to say that it wants to be the greatest element of S. In fact, if S has a greatest element, then that element is the supremum.

    2010, James S. Howland, Basic Real Analysis, Jones & Bartlett Publishers, page 9

    The key to an approach to vector optimization based on infimum and supremum is to consider set-based objective functions and to extend the partial ordering of the original objective space to a suitable subspace of the power set. In this new space the infimum and supremum exist under the usual assumptions.

    2011, Andreas Löhne, Vector Optimization with Infimum and Supremum, Springer, page vii

    Synonyms: least upper bound, LUB, sup

Synonyms & antonyms

noun(real analysis): Given a subset X of R, the smallest real number that is ≥ every element of X; (order theory): given a subset X of a partially ordered set P (with partial order ≤), the least element y of P such that every element of X is ≤ y.

Origin

  1. Latinsupremum
  2. Latinsupremum
  3. Englishsupremum

Borrowed from Latin supremum.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 上确界
  • 上确界 (shàngquèjiè)element of a set greater than or equal to all members of a given subset
Czech supremum
  • supremumelement of a set greater than or equal to all members of a given subset
Estonian supreemum
  • supreemumelement of a set greater than or equal to all members of a given subset
Finnish pienin yläraja, supremum
  • pienin ylärajaelement of a set greater than or equal to all members of a given subset
  • supremumelement of a set greater than or equal to all members of a given subset
French supremum
  • supremumelement of a set greater than or equal to all members of a given subset
German Supremum
  • Supremumelement of a set greater than or equal to all members of a given subset
Hebrew סופרמום, חסם עליון
  • סופרמוםelement of a set greater than or equal to all members of a given subset
  • חסם עליוןelement of a set greater than or equal to all members of a given subset
Japanese 上限
  • 上限 (jōgen)element of a set greater than or equal to all members of a given subset
Polish supremum, kres górny
  • supremumelement of a set greater than or equal to all members of a given subset
  • kres górnyelement of a set greater than or equal to all members of a given subset
Spanish supremo
  • supremoelement of a set greater than or equal to all members of a given subset
Swedish supremum
  • supremumelement of a set greater than or equal to all members of a given subset
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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