a <= a (reflexive property) If a <= b, b <= a, then a = b (antisymmetric property) If a <= b, b <= c, then a <= c (transitive property)
A set with a partial order on it is called a partial ordered set, or poset. A poset where any two elements have both a greatest lower bound and a least upper bound forms an algebraic structure called a LatticE. Every poset (X,<=) has a unique dual poset (X,>=).
Given any a,b in X, we define the OpenInterval? (a,b) = {x in X : a < x < b}. Arbitrary unions of OpenInterval?s define a TopOlogy on the poset, called the OrderTopology?. Most familiar topologies are built up from objects of this sort, e.g. the RealNumbers?.
Examples of partial orders include implications and inclusions ("is a subset of" and the more general "is a subobject of").