invariance
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɪnˈvɛə.ri.əns/countableuncountablenoun
- /ɪnˈvɛː.ri.əns/countableuncountablenoun
US
- /ˌɪnˈvɛriəns/
Description
- unchanging property
- same under change
- constancy
- stability
Invariance describes the quality of staying the same even when something else changes. It is often used in math and science for a feature, rule, or relationship that does not change under certain conditions or transformations. For example, if you rotate a square, its basic shape stays the same. In that sense, the shape shows invariance under rotation.
The idea also appears in everyday explanations of systems and rules. You might say a scientific law shows invariance if it works the same way in different places or at different times. The main idea is simple: something important remains unchanged, even when the situation around it shifts.
Invariance refers to the property of remaining unchanged under certain transformations, operations, or conditions. It is an important idea in mathematics and science, where people often ask not just what changes, but what stays the same. When something has invariance, a deeper feature remains steady even if its appearance, position, or context changes.
A simple example is a square. If you rotate it, move it, or reflect it in a mirror, it is still a square. Some of its properties remain unchanged, so those properties show invariance under those transformations. In physics, the idea is just as important: a law may be called invariant if it has the same form in different frames of reference, or in different places and times. That kind of sameness suggests that the law is fundamental rather than accidental.
The word also appears in computer science and logic. There, an invariant is a condition that remains true while a program runs or while an algorithm moves from one step to the next. Keeping track of that unchanging condition helps people reason about whether the code is correct. In broader writing, the word can also describe any pattern, principle, or relationship that remains stable while other details vary.
So, whether you are talking about geometry, physics, computing, or a general pattern in life, invariance points to the same core idea: something essential does not change, even when other parts of the situation do.
Examples
- 1
Scientific testing
The experiment tested the invariance of the result across different laboratories.
- 2
Geometry
In geometry, students study the invariance of distance under rotation.
- 3
Survey comparison
Researchers checked for measurement invariance before comparing survey scores from different countries.
Domain
measurement invariance
when a test or survey works the same way for different groups
- 4
Image recognition
The image model uses translation invariance to recognize an object wherever it appears in the picture.
Domain
translation invariance
not depending on exact position
- 5
Data algorithms
The algorithm exploits several invariances in the data, such as scale and angle.
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- invariancenoun