Overlappen

Overlappen is a Dutch verb meaning to overlap, to lie over or extend over another object or area. It is used for both physical and temporal senses, such as two fabrics overlapping or two events that occur during a common time interval. The English cognate is overlap, used as both a noun and a verb.

In geometry and geography, overlap refers to the region shared by two or more shapes or areas. In scheduling and operations management, overlapping time slots indicate conflicts or the need for shared resources. In genetics, overlapping genes are nucleotide sequences where coding regions share nucleotides and can affect gene expression. In data processing and computer science, overlapping intervals or windows arise in streaming, indexing, and search algorithms, requiring careful handling to avoid double counting or missed data.

Overlap can be quantified using measures such as the size of the intersection, the Jaccard index, or the overlap coefficient, and by simple boolean tests for non-empty intersections. The concept is also relevant in design, where overlapping layers or components influence aesthetics and structural considerations.

See also: overlap, intersection (set theory), interval scheduling, gene overlap.