field theory

field theory

noun

Definition of FIELD THEORY

: any theory in physics consisting of a detailed mathematical description of the assumed physical properties of a region under some influence (as gravitation)

First Known Use of FIELD THEORY

1901

field theory

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

In mathematics, the study of the structure of a set of objects (e.g., numbers) with two combining operations (e.g., addition and multiplication). Such a system, known as a field, must satisfy certain properties: associative law, commutative law, distributive law, an additive identity (“zero”), a muliplicative identity (“one”), additive inverses (see inverse function), and multiplicative inverses for nonzero elements. The sets of rational numbers, real numbers, and complex numbers are fields under ordinary addition and multiplication. The investigation of polynomial equations and their solutions led to the development of field theory.