Formal definition

supremum = least upper bound

A lower bound of a subset S of a partially ordered set (P,≤) is an element a of P such

that

 a ≤ x for all x in S.

A lower bound a of S is called an infimum (or greatest lower bound, or meet) of S if

 for all lower bounds y of S in P, y ≤ a (a is larger than or equal to any other lower
bound).

Similarly, an upper bound of a subset S of a partially ordered set (P,≤) is an element b

of P such that

 b ≥ x for all x in S.

An upper bound b of S is called a supremum (or least upper bound, or join) of S if

 for all upper bounds z of S in P, z ≥ b (b is less than any other upper bound).

Existence and uniqueness

Infima and suprema do not necessarily exist. Existence of an infimum of a subset S of P

can fail if S has no lower bound at all, or if the set of lower bounds does not contain a
greatest element. However, if an infimum or supremum does exist, it is unique.

Consequently, partially ordered sets for which certain infima are known to exist become
especially interesting. For instance, a lattice is a partially ordered set in which all
nonempty finite subsets have both a supremum and an infimum, and a complete lattice is
a partially ordered set in which all subsets have both a supremum and an infimum. More
information on the various classes of partially ordered sets that arise from such
considerations are found in the article on completeness properties.

If the supremum of a subset S exists, it is unique. If S contains a greatest element, then

that element is the supremum; otherwise, the supremum does not belong to S (or does
not exist). Likewise, if the infimum exists, it is unique. If S contains a least element,
then that element is the infimum; otherwise, the infimum does not belong to S (or does
not exist).
Relation to maximum and minimum elements

The infimum of a subset S of a partially ordered set P, assuming it exists, does not
necessarily belong to S. If it does, it is a minimum or least element of S. Similarly, if the
supremum of S belongs to S, it is a maximum or greatest element of S.

For example, consider the set of negative real numbers (excluding zero). This set has no
greatest element, since for every element of the set, there is another, larger, element. For
instance, for any negative real number x, there is another negative real number , which
is greater. On the other hand, every real number greater than or equal to zero is certainly
an upper bound on this set. Hence, 0 is the least upper bound of the negative reals, so
the supremum is 0. This set has a supremum but no greatest element.

However, the definition of maximal and minimal elements is more general. In

particular, a set can have many maximal and minimal elements, whereas infima and
suprema are unique.

Whereas maxima and minima must be members of the subset that is under
consideration, the infimum and supremum of a subset need not be members of that
subset themselves.

Minimal upper bounds

Finally, a partially ordered set may have many minimal upper bounds without having a
least upper bound. Minimal upper bounds are those upper bounds for which there is no
strictly smaller element that also is an upper bound. This does not say that each minimal
upper bound is smaller than all other upper bounds, it merely is not greater. The
distinction between "minimal" and "least" is only possible when the given order is not a
total one. In a totally ordered set, like the real numbers, the concepts are the same.

As an example, let S be the set of all finite subsets of natural numbers and consider the
partially ordered set obtained by taking all sets from S together with the set of integers ℤ
and the set of positive real numbers ℝ+, ordered by subset inclusion as above. Then
clearly both ℤ and ℝ+ are greater than all finite sets of natural numbers. Yet, neither is
ℝ+ smaller than ℤ nor is the converse true: both sets are minimal upper bounds but none
is a supremum.