Topology

topology
    n 1: topographic study of a given place (especially the history
         of the place as indicated by its topography); "Greenland's
         topology has been shaped by the glaciers of the ice age"
    2: the study of anatomy based on regions or divisions of the
       body and emphasizing the relations between various structures
       (muscles and nerves and arteries etc.) in that region [syn:
       {regional anatomy}, {topographic anatomy}, {topology}]
    3: the branch of pure mathematics that deals only with the
       properties of a figure X that hold for every figure into
       which X can be transformed with a one-to-one correspondence
       that is continuous in both directions [syn: {topology},
       {analysis situs}]
    4: the configuration of a communication network [syn:
       {topology}, {network topology}]
    

Topology \To*pol"o*gy\, n. [Gr. ? place + -logy.]
   The art of, or method for, assisting the memory by
   associating the thing or subject to be remembered with some
   place. [R.]
   [1913 Webster]

   2. a branch of mathematics which studies the properties of
      geometrical forms which retain their identity under
      certain transformations, such as stretching or twisting,
      which are homeomorphic. See also {topologist}.
      [PJC]

   3. configuration, especially in three dimensions; -- used, e.
      g. of the configurations taken by macromolecules, such as
      superhelical DNA.
      [PJC]
    

topology

   1. <mathematics> The branch of mathematics dealing with
   {continuous transformations}.

   2. <networking> Which {hosts} are directly connected to which
   other hosts in a {network}.  {Network layer} processes need to
   consider the current network topology to be able to {route}
   {packets} to their final destination reliably and efficiently.

   (2001-03-29)