Definition:Partial Ordering

Definition

Let $\struct {S, \preceq}$ be an ordered set.

Then the ordering $\preceq$ is a partial ordering on $S$ if and only if $\preceq$ is not connected.

That is, if and only if $\struct {S, \preceq}$ has at least one pair which is non-comparable:

$\exists x, y \in S: x \npreceq y \land y \npreceq x$

Also defined as

Some sources define a partial ordering to be the structure known on $\mathsf{Pr} \infty \mathsf{fWiki}$ as an ordering, that is, whose nature (partial or total) is unspecified.

Also known as

A partial ordering as defined here is sometimes referred to as a weak partial ordering, to distinguish it from a strict partial ordering

Also see

• Definition:Strict Partial Ordering
• Definition:Total Ordering
• Definition:Well-Ordering

Sources

• 1968: A.N. Kolmogorov and S.V. Fomin: Introductory Real Analysis ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 3.3$: Ordered sets. Order types
• 1982: P.M. Cohn: Algebra Volume 1 (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $1$: Sets and mappings: $\S 1.5$: Ordered Sets
• 1983: George F. Simmons: Introduction to Topology and Modern Analysis ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 1$: Sets and Set Inclusion