Heegaard genus
= Heegaard genus
{c}
{title2=$g_H(M)$}
The least genus of a <Heegaard surface> among all <Heegaard splittings> of a closed orientable <three-manifold>. Having a splitting of genus $g$ only proves $g_H(M)\le g$; stabilization supplies larger-genus splittings of the same manifold.