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Glite Dictionary
🦸 A set of abilities 🔢 All possible subsets
powerset

powerset

9.8
The set of all possible subsets of a given set, including the empty set
  • noun
  • /ˈpaʊərˌsɛt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : conjunto potencia
  • The powerset of the set {a, b} includes {}, {a}, {b}, and {a, b}.

Examples

  • In mathematics, the powerset is used to study the properties of sets and their relationships.

  • The powerset of a set with three elements contains eight different subsets.

  • To solve the problem, she listed every subset in the powerset of the original set.

  • The powerset of a set with three elements has eight subsets.

  • A powerset includes all combinations of elements, even the empty set.

  • To find the powerset of a set, one must include every possible combination of its elements.

  • Each powerset contains at least the empty set and the set itself as its subsets.

Surface Forms

powerset singular
powersets plural

Morphology

powerset = power + set (opaque) = power + set

This is a conventional mathematical term whose specific meaning ('the set of all subsets') is technical and not predictable from the everyday meanings of 'power' and 'set'.

Etymology

Powerset joins power and set, where set means 'a group' and power can help you think of 'every possible way'. So a mathematical powerset is the group of all possible smaller groups called 'subsets' that you can make from the original set.