In mathematics, an element x of a Lie group or a Lie algebra is called an n-Engel element,[1] named after Friedrich Engel, if it satisfies the n-Engel condition that the repeated commutator [...[[x,y],y], ..., y][2] with n copies of y is trivial (where [x, y] means xyx−1y−1 or the Lie bracket).
It is called an Engel element if it satisfies the Engel condition that it is n-Engel for some n. A Lie group or Lie algebra is said to satisfy the Engel or n-Engel conditions if every element does.
Every nilpotent group or Lie algebra is Engel.
(Cohn 1955) gave examples of non-nilpotent Engel groups and algebras.
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