Adjacency Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

🔗

Add to dictionary

adjacency

[əˈdʒeɪsənsi ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Noun}

in graph theory

The property of being adjacent; being next to or adjoining something else.

Synonyms

adjoining, contiguous, neighboring.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
adjacency	Used in more formal or technical situations to describe something that is next to or near another thing, often in terms of space or ordering. The adjacency of the two buildings made it easy to move between them. In the graph, vertex B is in adjacency with vertex C.
neighboring	Used in casual and everyday language to describe something that is close or near, typically in the context of locations or places. They decided to explore the neighboring towns during their road trip. Our neighboring apartment complex has a community pool.
adjoining	Often used to describe rooms, buildings, or pieces of land that share a common boundary or are connected. They booked two adjoining rooms for their family vacation. The adjoining fields were separated by a small fence.
contiguous	Common in formal contexts to refer to things that are touching or connected throughout in an unbroken sequence. The United States has 48 contiguous states, excluding Alaska and Hawaii. Their property is contiguous with the park.

Examples of usage

The adjacency of two nodes in a graph can be represented by an edge between them.
In adjacency matrix representation, a value of 1 indicates that two nodes are adjacent.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

in mathematics

The state of being adjacent; having a common side or vertex.

Synonyms

beside, nearby, next to.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
adjacency	Use in formal contexts, often in technical fields like mathematics, computer science, or urban planning, to describe objects or areas that are next to each other. The adjacency of the two plots allowed for easy planning of the land development In graph theory, an adjacency matrix represents which vertices (or nodes) in a graph are adjacent to which other vertices
next to	An informal and widely used way to indicate something or someone that is immediately adjacent to another object or person. Similar to 'beside' but often more colloquial. He sat next to me in class The book is next to the laptop on the desk
beside	Use in everyday language to indicate something or someone that is situated at the side of something or someone else. It has a more informal and common usage compared to 'adjacent'. She sat beside him during the movie The lamp is placed beside the bed
nearby	Use when referring to something that is close in distance but not necessarily immediately next to something else. This is common in both spoken and written language. There's a café nearby where we can grab a coffee Several shops are located nearby

Examples of usage

The adjacency of two angles in a triangle can help determine their relationship.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Geometry

In geometry, adjacency is often used to describe angles or sides that share a common point.
Adjacent angles are two angles that have a common side and vertex, essential for understanding shapes.
In polygons, adjacent sides are those that meet at a vertex, helping to define the figure.

Urban Planning

In urban environments, adjacency plays a crucial role in land use planning, determining how buildings and public spaces interact.
The concept is essential for zoning laws, which dictate what types of structures can be built next to residential areas.
Strategic placement of parks or recreational areas often relies on adjacency to residential neighborhoods to ensure accessibility.

Computer Science

In computer science, adjacency lists or matrices help to represent graphs, showing how different nodes (or points) are connected.
An adjacency matrix is a square array used to represent a finite graph, aiding in various algorithms like pathfinding.
Understanding adjacency is vital in network theory, where it helps analyze how data flows between connected devices.

Psychology

The principle of adjacency can explain how we perceive visual elements together, impacting design and advertisement effectiveness.
In psychology, the proximity effect suggests that nearby objects or people influence our perceptions and behaviors, highlighting the importance of adjacency in social settings.
Cognitive biases, like the halo effect, can occur due to the adjacency of certain traits or behaviors, coloring our judgment.

Origin of 'adjacency'

Main points about word origin

The word comes from Latin 'adjacens', which means 'lying near'.
It was first used in English around the early 15th century, reflecting the close relationship between objects or concepts.
The roots 'ad-' (to) and 'jacere' (to throw) indicate the idea of placing things next to one another.

The word 'adjacency' originates from the Latin word 'adjacens', which means 'lying near'. The concept of adjacency is fundamental in various fields such as graph theory, mathematics, and computer science. Understanding adjacency is crucial for analyzing relationships between elements in a system or structure.