In mathematics, a root system is a configuration of vectors in a Euclidean space satisfying certain geometrical properties. The concept is fundamental in the theory of Lie groups and Lie algebras, especially the classification and representation theory of semisimple Lie algebras. Since Lie groups (and some analogues such as algebraic groups) and Lie algebras have become important in many parts of mathematics during the twentieth century, the apparently special nature of root systems belies the number of areas in which they are applied. Further, the classification scheme for root systems, by Dynkin diagrams, occurs in parts of mathematics with no overt connection to Lie theory (such as singularity theory). Finally, root systems are important for their own sake, as in spectral graph theory.

As a first example, consider the six vectors in 2-dimensional Euclidean space, R², as shown in the image at the right; call them roots. These vectors span the whole space. If you consider the line perpendicular to any root, say β, then the reflection of R² in that line sends any other root, say α, to another root. Moreover, the root to which it is sent equals α + nβ, where n is an integer (in this case, n equals 1). These six vectors satisfy the following definition, and therefore they form a root system; this one is known as A₂.

Let E be a finite-dimensional Euclidean vector space, with the standard Euclidean inner product denoted by ${\displaystyle (\cdot ,\cdot )}$. A root system ${\displaystyle \Phi }$ in E is a finite set of non-zero vectors (called roots) that satisfy the following conditions:

Equivalent ways of writing conditions 3 and 4, respectively, are as follows:

Some authors only include conditions 1–3 in the definition of a root system. In this context, a root system that also satisfies the integrality condition is known as a crystallographic root system. Other authors omit condition 2; then they call root systems satisfying condition 2 reduced. In this article, all root systems are assumed to be reduced and crystallographic.

In view of property 3, the integrality condition is equivalent to stating that β and its reflection σ_α(β) differ by an integer multiple of α. Note that the operator $${\displaystyle \langle \cdot ,\cdot \rangle \colon \Phi \times \Phi \to \mathbb {Z} }$$ defined by property 4 is not an inner product. It is not necessarily symmetric and is linear only in the first argument.

The rank of a root system Φ is the dimension of E. Two root systems may be combined by regarding the Euclidean spaces they span as mutually orthogonal subspaces of a common Euclidean space. A root system which does not arise from such a combination, such as the systems A₂, B₂, and G₂ pictured to the right, is said to be irreducible.

Two root systems (E₁, Φ₁) and (E₂, Φ₂) are called isomorphic if there is an invertible linear transformation E₁ → E₂ which sends Φ₁ to Φ₂ such that for each pair of roots, the number ${\displaystyle \langle x,y\rangle }$ is preserved.