A ribbon Hopf algebra  is a quasitriangular Hopf algebra which possess an invertible central element
 is a quasitriangular Hopf algebra which possess an invertible central element  more commonly known as the ribbon element, such that the following conditions hold:
 more commonly known as the ribbon element, such that the following conditions hold:
 
 
where  .  Note that the element u exists for any quasitriangular Hopf algebra, and
.  Note that the element u exists for any quasitriangular Hopf algebra, and
 must always be central and satisfies
 must always be central and satisfies  , so that all that is required is that it have a central square root with the above properties.
, so that all that is required is that it have a central square root with the above properties.
Here
 is a vector space is a vector space
 is the multiplication map is the multiplication map 
 is the co-product map is the co-product map 
 is the unit operator  :\mathbb {C} \rightarrow A} is the unit operator  :\mathbb {C} \rightarrow A} 
 is the co-unit operator is the co-unit operator 
 is the antipode is the antipode 
 is a universal R matrix is a universal R matrix
We assume that the underlying field  is
 is 
If  is finite-dimensional, one could equivalently call it ribbon Hopf if and only if its category of (say, left) modules is ribbon; if
 is finite-dimensional, one could equivalently call it ribbon Hopf if and only if its category of (say, left) modules is ribbon; if  is finite-dimensional and quasi-triangular, then it is ribbon if and only if its category of (say, left) modules is pivotal.
 is finite-dimensional and quasi-triangular, then it is ribbon if and only if its category of (say, left) modules is pivotal.