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abstract definition

ab·stract (for adj., ab strakt′, ab′strakt′; for n.1 & vt.4, ab′strakt′; for n.2, ab′strakt′, ab strakt′; for vt.1, 2, & 3, ab strakt′)

adjective

  1. thought of apart from any particular instances or material objects; not concrete
  2. expressing a quality thought of apart from any particular or material object beauty is an abstract word
  3. not easy to understand because of being extremely complex, remote from concrete reality, etc.; abstruse
  4. theoretical; not practical or applied
  5. designating or of art abstracted from reality, in which designs or forms may be definite and geometric or fluid and amorphous: a generic term that encompasses various nonrealistic contemporary schools

Etymology: < L abstractus, pp. of abstrahere, to draw from, separate < ab(s)-, from + trahere, to draw

noun

  1. a brief statement of the essential content of a book, article, speech, court record, etc.; summary
  2. an abstract thing, condition, idea, etc.

transitive verb

  1. to take away; remove
  2. to take dishonestly; steal
  3. to think of (a quality) apart from any particular instance or material object that has it; also, to form (a general idea) from particular instances
  4. to summarize; make an abstract of

Related Forms:

abstract Idioms

in the abstract

in theory as apart from practice

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