edge contraction

noun

edge contraction

noun

Graph theory, Mathematics, Sciences An operation performed on an edge in a graph which deletes the edge, replaces its endpoints with a single new vertex, and replaces edges incident to either endpoint with an edge incident to the new vertex.

Performing an edge contraction on an edge in a path graph results in a path graph with one fewer vertex.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.