Abstract Definition
ăb-străkt, ăbstrăkt
abstracted, abstracting, abstracts
adjective
Considered apart from concrete existence.
An abstract concept.
American Heritage
Thought of apart from any particular instances or material objects; not concrete.
Webster's New World
Not applied or practical; theoretical.
American Heritage
Expressing a quality thought of apart from any particular or material object.
Beauty is an abstract word.
Webster's New World
Difficult to understand; abstruse.
Abstract philosophical problems.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
noun
abstracts
A statement summarizing the important points of a text.
American Heritage
A brief statement of the essential content of a book, article, speech, court record, etc.; summary.
Webster's New World
Something abstract.
American Heritage
An abstract thing, condition, idea, etc.
Webster's New World
An abstract of title.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
verb
abstracted, abstracting, abstracts
To take away; remove.
Webster's New World
To remove without permission; steal.
A painting that was abstracted from the museum.
American Heritage
To take dishonestly; steal.
Webster's New World
To consider (an idea, for example) as separate from particular examples or objects.
Abstract a principle of arrangement from a series of items.
American Heritage
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.
Webster's New World
idiom
in the abstract
- In a way that is conceptual or theoretical, as opposed to actual or empirical.
American Heritage
in the abstract
- in theory as apart from practice
Webster's New World
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Abstract
Origin of Abstract
-
Middle English from Latin abstractus past participle of abstrahere to draw away abs-, ab- away ab–1 trahere to draw
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
-
From Middle English, from Latin abstractus, perfect passive participle of abstrahō (“draw away”), formed from abs- (“away”) + trahō (“to pull, draw”).
From Wiktionary
-
First attested in 1542. Partly from English abstract (adjective form), and from Latin abstrat past participle of abstrahō (“to draw away”).
From Wiktionary
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