Abstractions

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Mental representations that have no tangible existence
2. The process of distilling general principles from specific examples or instances
3. Concepts or ideas that are not linked to physical objects or direct experiences ; the process of identifying common features by removing specific details

Etymology: The plural here simply means several instances of the singular "abstraction," which entered English from Middle English "abstraccyone," a form that came either through Middle French "abstraction" or directly from Medieval Latin "abstrāctiō," meaning "separation." Its root is Latin "abstrahō," which means "draw away," and the English word keeps that sense of pulling something out from its surroundings. That literal image is the key to the modern meaning. To abstract something is to draw it away from the particular details that surround it, so that only the shared qualities remain. The noun therefore names both the mental act of doing this and the resulting idea, such as "justice" or "number," which exists apart from any single object or experience. The word is built from "abstract," with the suffix "-ion" that turns a verb-like base into a noun naming an action or its result.

Synonyms: concepts, ideas, notions, theories, principles

Antonyms: concreteness, reality, fact, truth, certainty