| Term | Definition |
| partitions/ blocks/ submatrices | indicated by horizontal and vertical dividing rules of a matrix; (i.e. regarding matrix A as a list of column vectors) |
| requirements of addition/ scalar multiplication of partitions | must have the same size and exact same partitions |
| comformable for block multiplication | matrices whose blocks are the same size, location, and shape |
| block upper triangular form | A = [top row: A 11 A12; bottom row: 0 A22] |
| block diagonal matrix | a partitioned matrix with zero blocks off the main diagonal (of blocks); invertible only if each block on the diagonal is invertible |