abstract

[ adjective ab-strakt, ab-strakt; noun ab-strakt; verb ab-strakt ab-strakt ]

adjective

1. thought of apart from concrete realities, specific objects, or actual instances:

   an abstract idea.

2. expressing a quality or characteristic apart from any specific object or instance, as justice, poverty, and speed.
3. not applied or practical; theoretical:

   abstract science.

4. difficult to understand; abstruse:

   abstract speculations.

5. Fine Arts.
   1. of or relating to the formal aspect of art, emphasizing lines, colors, generalized or geometrical forms, etc., especially with reference to their relationship to one another.
   2. Often Abstract. pertaining to the nonrepresentational art styles of the 20th century.

noun

1. a summary of a text, scientific article, document, speech, etc.; epitome.
2. something that concentrates in itself the essential qualities of anything more extensive or more general, or of several things; essence.
3. an idea or term considered apart from some material basis or object.
4. an abstract work of art.

verb (used with object)

1. to make an abstract of; summarize.
2. to draw or take away; remove.
3. to divert or draw away the attention of.
4. to steal.
5. to consider as a general quality or characteristic apart from specific objects or instances:

   to abstract the notions of time, space, and matter.

abstract

adjective

1. having no reference to material objects or specific examples; not concrete
2. not applied or practical; theoretical
3. hard to understand; recondite; abstruse
4. denoting art characterized by geometric, formalized, or otherwise nonrepresentational qualities
5. defined in terms of its formal properties

   an abstract machine

6. philosophy (of an idea) functioning for some empiricists as the meaning of a general term

   the word ``man'' does not name all men but the abstract idea of manhood

noun

1. a condensed version of a piece of writing, speech, etc; summary
2. an abstract term or idea
3. an abstract painting, sculpture, etc
4. in the abstract
   without reference to specific circumstances or practical experience

verb

1. to think of (a quality or concept) generally without reference to a specific example; regard theoretically
2. to form (a general idea) by abstraction
3. ˈæbstrækt also intr to summarize or epitomize
4. to remove or extract
5. euphemistic.
   to steal

Other Words From

• ab·stract·er noun
• ab·stract·ly adverb
• ab·stract·ness noun
• non·ab·stract adjective noun
• non·ab·stract·ly adverb
• non·ab·stract·ness noun
• o·ver·ab·stract verb (used with object) adjective
• pre·ab·stract adjective
• su·per·ab·stract adjective
• su·per·ab·stract·ly adverb
• su·per·ab·stract·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of abstract¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English: “withdrawn from worldly interests,” from Latin abstractus “drawn off” (past participle of abstrahere ). See abs-, tract ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of abstract¹

C14: (in the sense: extracted): from Latin abstractus drawn off, removed from (something specific), from abs- ab- ¹+ trahere to draw

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. abstract away from, to omit from consideration.
2. in the abstract, without reference to a specific object or instance; in theory:

   beauty in the abstract.

Example Sentences

Researchers from the U-M Health Frankel Cardiovascular Center reported the findings as a late-breaking abstract at the 2024 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.

From Science Daily

We’d delineate that a bit from his plan for “mass deportation” because, despite some surveys showing substantial support for this in the abstract, the ugly stories and images that could emerge from the execution of that plan could sharply turn public opinion back the other way.

From Slate

Co-authors, disclosures and any additional funding sources are listed in the abstract.

From Science Daily

While this abstract platform was meant to maintain compliance with judicial ethics, it gave voters the impression that Democratic candidates did not really stand for anything.

From Slate

She predicts that, this time, a movement against Trump likely won’t materialize against his presidency in abstract, but against specific things he does.

From Slate