Editing Partially ordered set (section)

== In category theory ==
{{main|Posetal category}}
Every poset (and every [[Preorder|preordered set]]) may be considered as a [[Category (mathematics)|category]] where, for objects <math>x</math> and <math>y,</math> there is at most one [[morphism]] from <math>x</math> to <math>y.</math> More explicitly, let {{nowrap|1=hom(''x'', ''y'') = {{mset|(''x'', ''y'')}}}} if {{nowrap|''x'' ≤ ''y''}} (and otherwise the [[empty set]]) and <math>(y, z) \circ (x, y) = (x, z).</math> Such categories are sometimes called ''[[Posetal category|posetal]]''.

Posets are [[Equivalence of categories|equivalent]] to one another if and only if they are [[Isomorphism of categories|isomorphic]]. In a poset, the smallest element, if it exists, is an [[initial object]], and the largest element, if it exists, is a [[terminal object]]. Also, every preordered set is equivalent to a poset. Finally, every subcategory of a poset is [[isomorphism-closed]].