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abstract definition

ab·stract (for adj., ab strakt′, ab′strakt′; for n.1 & vt.4, ab′strakt′; for n.2, ab′strakt′, ab strakt′; for vt.1, 2, & 3, ab strakt′)

adjective

  1. thought of apart from any particular instances or material objects; not concrete
  2. expressing a quality thought of apart from any particular or material object beauty is an abstract word
  3. not easy to understand because of being extremely complex, remote from concrete reality, etc.; abstruse
  4. theoretical; not practical or applied
  5. designating or of art abstracted from reality, in which designs or forms may be definite and geometric or fluid and amorphous: a generic term that encompasses various nonrealistic contemporary schools

Etymology: < L abstractus, pp. of abstrahere, to draw from, separate < ab(s)-, from + trahere, to draw

noun

  1. a brief statement of the essential content of a book, article, speech, court record, etc.; summary
  2. an abstract thing, condition, idea, etc.

transitive verb

  1. to take away; remove
  2. to take dishonestly; steal
  3. 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
  4. to summarize; make an abstract of

Related Forms:

abstract Idioms

in the abstract

in theory as apart from practice

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

law abstract definition - legal

medical abstract definition - medical

abstract Synonyms

abstract

modif.

  1. Theoretical

    general, conceptual, intellectual, ideal; see theoretical.

  2. Abstruse

    complex, involved, obscure; see difficult 2.

  3. Nonrealistic

    nonrepresentational, geometric, symbolic, biomorphic, abstract expressionist, cubist; see also painting 1.


abstract

n.

synopsis, outline, résumé; see abridgment, summary. See syn. study atabridgment.


abstract

v.

  1. To take away

    withdraw, separate, extract; see remove 1.

  2. To prepare an abstract

    digest, summarize, condense; see decrease 2, summarize.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

abstract Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • submit: Other submitted abstracts will be presented in the poster session.

Adjective modifier

  • accepted: The final list of accepted abstracts will be emailed when available.

Modifies a noun

  • pathname: File ( String pathname ) Creates a new File instance by converting the given pathname string into an abstract pathname.

Used with adjective complement

  • extend: Theory in a Complex World: Agent-Based Simulations of Geographic Systems An extended abstract by Catherine Dibble.

Noun used with modifier

  • poster: Contrary to any previous indication, students can submit their poster abstracts on any relevant topic.

Preposition: of

  • thesis: The site also has abstracts of doctoral theses ( supported by ADEME ).

Preposition: from

  • journal: The GDN would like to thank the Journal of Geography for allowing us to reproduce abstracts from the journal.
abstract usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

abstract quotes

The test of an abstract picture, for me, is not my first reaction to it, but how long I can stand it hanging on the wall of a room where I am living.

-Betjeman, SirJohn

It has been often said, even by proponents of those picturesknown inaestheticslang as Cubist and Abstract, that they have no subject matter. Such a statement is equivalent to saying that life has no subject matter.

-Davis, Stuart

Every form is individual, there exists none which is abstract.

-Heinse,Wilhelm

abstract quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"abstract." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/abstract>

APA Style

abstract. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/abstract

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