Sesquilinear Form

In mathematics, a sesquilinear form on a complex vector space V is a map V × V → C that is linear in one argument and antilinear in the other. The name originates from the numerical prefix sesqui- meaning "one and a half". Compare with a bilinear form, which is linear in both arguments; although many authors, especially when working solely in a complex setting, refer to sesquilinear forms as bilinear forms.

A motivating example is the inner product on a complex vector space, which is not bilinear, but instead sesquilinear. See geometric motivation below.