abstraction

noun

The act of focusing on one characteristic of an object rather than the object as a whole group of characteristics; the act of separating said qualities from the object or ideas.

An idea or notion of an abstract or theoretical nature.

The act of abstracting, separating, withdrawing, or taking away; withdrawal; the state of being taken away.

A separation from worldly objects; a recluse life; the withdrawal from one's senses.

The act of comparing commonality between distinct objects and organizing using those similarities; the act of generalizing characteristics; the product of said generalization.

(art) An abstract creation, or piece of art; qualities of artwork that are free from representational aspects.

Any characteristic of an individual object when that characteristic has been separated from the object and is contemplated alone as a quality having independent existence.

A member of an idealized subgroup when contemplated according to the abstracted quality which defines the subgroup.

The result of mentally abstracting an idea; the product of any mental process involving a synthesis of: separation, despecification, generalization, and ideation in any of a number of combinations.

(euphemistic) The taking surreptitiously for one's own use part of the property of another; purloining.

Absence or absorption of mind; inattention to present objects; preoccupation.

(computing) Hiding implementation details from the interface of a component, to decrease complexity through interdependency and improve modularity; a construct that serves as such.

(engineering) Removal of water from a river, lake, or aquifer.

(chemistry) A separation of volatile parts by the act of distillation.

An idea of an idealistic, unrealistic or visionary nature.

(geology) The merging of two river valleys by the larger of the two deepening and widening so much so, as to assimilate the smaller.

Roots

abab- · Latin · away from traho-tract · Latin · draw, pull

Synonyms for abstraction

abstractednessn abstractadj generalizationn

Synonyms & related words for abstraction

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Words related to abstraction

Explore words related to abstraction — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include abstractness, abstractionism, abstractionist, abstractly, nonrepresentational, conceptualism, surrealism, conceptual. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for abstraction

Common synonyms for abstraction include abstractedness, abstract, generalization — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does abstraction come from?

The word abstraction breaks down into 2 roots of Latin origin: ab-, from Latin ab (“away from”); and -tract, from Latin traho (“draw, pull”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.