Disjoint Sets

Pub Feb 17, 2026 Up Jun 23, 2026

Definition 1. Two sets $X$ and $Y$ are disjoint if

\[X \cap Y = \empt.\]

A set $X$ is disjoint if the elements of $X$ are pairwise disjoint, i.e.

\[\forall A, B \in X :\enspace A \neq B \,\rimp\, A \cap B = \empt.\]

Not disjoint sets are called joint.

Note.Joint is also known as overlapping.

Proposition 1. $\empt$ is the only self-disjoint set.

Proposition 2. $\empt$ is the only set disjoint to every other set.

Proof. $\empt$ is disjoint to every set by ITSC > Proposition 2. If a set $X$ is non-empty,

\[Y = X \cup \{X\}\]

is always joint to $X$. By irreflexivity of $\in$, $X \neq Y$.