Definition:Mutatis Mutandis

Definition

Mutatis mutandis is Latin for what needs changing having been changed.

It can be used in place of words like analogously and similarly, and expresses that an argument can be applied to a new situation in an intuitive fashion.

For example the proof of Union is Associative can be made into that for Intersection is Associative by mutatis mutandis.

In this case, this comes down to replacing $\cup$ by $\cap$, and $\lor$ by $\land$.

In particular, the essential flow of the argument was not changed in adapting the proof.

Also defined as

The term is often used when some work but no imagination is demanded of the reader.

-- Ephraim J. Borowski and Jonathan M. Borwein: Dictionary of Mathematics: mutatis mutandis

Sources

• 1989: Ephraim J. Borowski and Jonathan M. Borwein: Dictionary of Mathematics ... (previous) ... (next): mutatis mutandis