groupoid

/ˈɡruːpɔɪd/
noun
  1. A small, loosely organized group of people who share a common interest or activity, but are not a formal club or organization.
    • A groupoid of neighbors meets every Saturday to play soccer in the park.
    • She joined a photography groupoid that shares tips and goes on photo walks together.
    • The hiking groupoid decided to explore a new trail this weekend.
  2. In mathematics, a set with a binary operation (not necessarily associative or having an identity element); also called a magma.
    • The professor explained that every group is also a groupoid, but not every groupoid is a group.
    • In abstract algebra, a groupoid is a simpler structure than a group because it does not require associativity.
    • Students studied how to define a groupoid on a finite set using a Cayley table.
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