The entropy of entanglement (or entanglement entropy) is a measure of the degree of quantum entanglement between two subsystems constituting a two-part composite quantum system. Given a pure bipartite quantum state of the composite system, it is possible to obtain a reduced density matrix describing knowledge of the state of a subsystem. The entropy of entanglement is the Von Neumann entropy of the reduced density matrix for any of the subsystems. If it is non-zero, it indicates the two subsystems are entangled.
More mathematically; if a state describing two subsystems A and B | Ψ A B ⟩ = | ϕ A ⟩ | ϕ B ⟩ {\displaystyle |\Psi _{AB}\rangle =|\phi _{A}\rangle |\phi _{B}\rangle } is a separable state, then the reduced density matrix ρ A = Tr B | Ψ A B ⟩ ⟨ Ψ A B | = | ϕ A ⟩ ⟨ ϕ A | {\displaystyle \rho _{A}=\operatorname {Tr} _{B}|\Psi _{AB}\rangle \langle \Psi _{AB}|=|\phi _{A}\rangle \langle \phi _{A}|} is a pure state. Thus, the entropy of the state is zero. Similarly, the density matrix of B would also have 0 entropy. A reduced density matrix having a non-zero entropy is therefore a signal of the existence of entanglement in the system.
Entanglement entropy was first proposed as a source for black hole entropy, and remains a candidate. It is now thought to have connections to gravity, and the possibility it is induced, following the work of Jacobson, and the original ideas of Andrei Sakharov.