In the context of abstract algebra or universal algebra, a monomorphism is an injective homomorphism. A monomorphism from X to Y is often denoted with the notation X ↪ Y {\displaystyle X\hookrightarrow Y} . In the more general setting of category theory, a monomorphism (also called a monic morphism or a mono) is a left-cancellative morphism. That is, an arrow f : X → Y such that for all objects Z and all morphisms g1, g2: Z → X,
f ∘ g 1 = f ∘ g 2 ⟹ g 1 = g 2 . {\displaystyle f\circ g_{1}=f\circ g_{2}\implies g_{1}=g_{2}.}
Monomorphisms are a categorical generalization of injective functions (also called "one-to-one functions"); in some categories the notions coincide, but monomorphisms are more general, as in the examples below. In the setting of posets intersections are idempotent: the intersection of anything with itself is itself. Monomorphisms generalize this property to arbitrary categories. A morphism is a monomorphism if it is idempotent with respect to pullbacks. The categorical dual of a monomorphism is an epimorphism, that is, a monomorphism in a category C is an epimorphism in the dual category Cop. Every section is a monomorphism, and every retraction is an epimorphism.
Relation to invertibility Left-invertible morphisms are necessarily monic: if l is a left inverse for f (meaning l is a morphism and l ∘ f = id X {\displaystyle l\circ f=\operatorname {id} _{X}} ), then f is monic, as
f ∘ g 1 = f ∘ g 2 ⇒ l ∘ f ∘ g 1 = l ∘ f ∘ g 2 ⇒ g 1 = g 2 . {\displaystyle f\circ g_{1}=f\circ g_{2}\Rightarrow l\circ f\circ g_{1}=l\circ f\circ g_{2}\Rightarrow g_{1}=g_{2}.}
A left-invertible morphism is called a section or a split monomorphism. However, a monomorphism need not be left-invertible. For example, in the category Group of all groups and group homomorphisms among them, if H is a subgroup of G then the inclusion f : H → G is always a monomorphism; but f has a left inverse in the category if and only if H has a normal complement in G. A morphism f : X → Y is monic if and only if the induced map f∗ : Hom(Z, X) → Hom(Z, Y), defined by f∗(h) = f ∘ h for all morphisms h : Z → X, is injective for all objects Z.
Examples Every morphism in a concrete category whose underlying function is injective is a monomorphism; in other words, if morphisms are actually functions between sets, then any morphism which is a one-to-one function will necessarily be a monomorphism in the categorical sense. In the category of sets the converse also holds, so the monomorphisms are exactly the injective morphisms. The converse also holds in most naturally occurring categories of algebras because of the existence of a free object on one generator. In particular, it is true in the categories of all groups, of all rings, and in any abelian category. It is not true in general, however, that all monomorphisms must be injective in other categories; that is, there are settings in which the morphisms are functions between sets, but one can have a function that is not injective and yet is a monomorphism in the categorical sense. For example, in the category Div of divisible (abelian) groups and group homomorphisms between them there are monomorphisms that are not injective: consider, for example, the quotient map q : Q → Q/Z, where Q is the rationals under addition, Z the integers (also considered a group under addition), and Q/Z is the corresponding quotient group. This is not an injective map, as for example every integer is mapped to 0. Nevertheless, it is a monomorphism in this category. This follows from the implication q ∘ h = 0 ⇒ h = 0, which we will now prove. If h : G → Q, where G is some divisible group, and q ∘ h = 0, then h(x) ∈ Z, ∀ x ∈ G. Now fix some x ∈ G. Without loss of generality, we may assume that h(x) ≥ 0 (otherwise, choose −x instead). Then, letting n = h(x) + 1, since G is a divisible group, there exists some y ∈ G such that x = ny, so h(x) = n h(y). From this, and 0 ≤ h(x) < h(x) + 1 = n, it follows that
0 ≤ h ( x ) h ( x ) + 1 = h ( y ) < 1 {\displaystyle 0\leq {\frac {h(x)}{h(x)+1}}=h(y)<1}
Since h(y) ∈ Z, it follows that h(y) = 0, and thus h(x) = 0 = h(−x), ∀ x ∈ G. This says that h = 0, as desired. To go from that implication to the fact that q is a monomorphism, assume that q ∘ f = q ∘ g for some morphisms f, g : G → Q, where G is some divisible group. Then q ∘ (f − g) = 0, where (f − g) : x ↦ f(x) − g(x). (Since (f − g)(0) = 0, and (f − g)(x + y) = (f − g)(x) + (f − g)(y), it follows that (f − g) ∈ Hom(G, Q)). From the implication just proved, q ∘ (f − g) = 0 ⇒ f − g = 0 ⇔ ∀ x ∈ G, f(x) = g(x) ⇔ f = g. Hence q is a monomorphism, as claimed.
Properties In an elementary topos, every mono is an equalizer, and any map that is both monic and epic is an isomorphism. Every isomorphism is monic.
Related concepts
There are also useful concepts of regular monomorphism, extremal monomorphism, immediate monomorphism, strong monomorphism, and split monomorphism.
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