Added 9 October 2026
abstraction
/əbˈstɹæk.ʃn̩/ noun
Latin root: abstrāctiō Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about abstraction at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
A concept or idea not associated with any specific instance.
he loved her only in the abstract--not in person
- The act of withdrawing or removing something.
- The process of formulating general concepts by abstracting common properties of instances.
Origin
From Middle English abstraccyone; either from Middle French abstraction or from Medieval Latin abstrāctiō (“separation”), from Latin abstrahō (“draw away”). Equivalent to abstract + -ion.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)