abstraction

Meaning

1. (countable, uncountable) The act of abstracting, separating, withdrawing, or taking away; withdrawal; the state of being taken away.
2. (countable, euphemistic, uncountable) The act of abstracting, separating, withdrawing, or taking away; withdrawal; the state of being taken away.
3. (countable, uncountable) The act of abstracting, separating, withdrawing, or taking away; withdrawal; the state of being taken away.
4. (countable, uncountable) A separation from worldly objects; a recluse life; the withdrawal from one's senses.
5. (countable, uncountable) 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.
6. (countable, uncountable) 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.
7. (countable, uncountable) A member of an idealized subgroup when contemplated according to the abstracted quality which defines the subgroup.
8. (countable, uncountable) The act of comparing commonality between distinct objects and organizing using those similarities; the act of generalizing characteristics; the product of said generalization.
9. (countable, uncountable) An idea or notion of an abstract or theoretical nature.
10. (countable, uncountable) Absence or absorption of mind; inattention to present objects; preoccupation.
11. (countable, uncountable) An abstract creation, or piece of art; qualities of artwork that are free from representational aspects.
12. (countable, uncountable) A separation of volatile parts by the act of distillation.
13. (countable, uncountable) An idea of an idealistic, unrealistic or visionary nature.
14. (countable, uncountable) 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.
15. (countable, uncountable) The merging of two river valleys by the larger of the two deepening and widening so much so, as to assimilate the smaller.
16. (countable, uncountable) Hiding implementation details from the interface of a component, to decrease complexity through interdependency and improve modularity; a construct that serves as such.

Synonyms

abstract

extraction

abstractedness

theft

abstract entity

absence of mind

subtraction

generalisation

abstracting

extract

withdrawal

generalization

daydreaming

deduction

deprivation

destruction

disengagement

distillation

distraction

drawer

engrossment

excision

expulsion

extracting

firing

idea

💡

loss

refinement

removal

reverie

riddance

rustication

sacking

separation

suspension

withdraw

write off

dislodgment

dismission

fixing the thoughts

steady application

poring over

separationism

draw-off

absent mindedness

withdrawment

extraction and purification

ablation

capturing stream

abstractions

Translations

abstraction

abstracción

astrazione

Abstraktion

abstractie

abstracció

abstração

αφαίρεση

abstracção

abstract begrip

soyutlama

Abziehung

distraction

ontvreemding

Pronounced as (IPA)

/əbˈstɹæk.ʃn̩/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: abstraccyone

In summary

From Middle English abstraccyone; either from Middle French abstraction or from Medieval Latin abstrāctiō (“separation”), from Latin abstrahō (“draw away”). Equivalent to abstract + -ion.