In mathematics, in the field of functional analysis, an indefinite inner product space
is an infinite-dimensional complex vector space equipped with both an indefinite inner product
and a positive semi-definite inner product
where the metric operator is an endomorphism of obeying
The indefinite inner product space itself is not necessarily a Hilbert space; but the existence of a positive semi-definite inner product on implies that one can form a quotient space on which there is a positive definite inner product. Given a strong enough topology on this quotient space, it has the structure of a Hilbert space, and many objects of interest in typical applications fall into this quotient space.