abstraction

noun

ab·strac·tion ab-ˈstrak-shən How to pronounce abstraction (audio)

əb-

: the act or process of abstracting : the state of being abstracted

: an abstract idea or term

: absence of mind or preoccupation

: abstract quality or character

: an abstract composition or creation in art

: abstractionism

abstractional

ab-ˈstrak-shnəl How to pronounce abstraction (audio)

-shə-nᵊl

əb-

adjective

abstractive

ab-ˈstrak-tiv How to pronounce abstraction (audio)

ˈab-ˌstrak-

adjective

Did you know?

From its roots, abstraction should mean basically "something pulled or drawn away". So abstract art is art that has moved away from painting objects of the ordinary physical world in order to show something beyond it. Theories are often abstractions; so a theory about economics, for instance, may "pull back" to take a broad view that somehow explains all of economics (but maybe doesn't end up explaining any of it very successfully). An abstract of a medical or scientific article is a one-paragraph summary of its contents—that is, the basic findings "pulled out" of the article.

Example Sentences

abstraction of data from hospital records “Beauty” and “truth” are abstractions. She gazed out the window in abstraction.

Recent Examples on the Web Many of the pictures have a heightened contrast that emphasizes their abstraction.

William Meyers, WSJ, 7 Sep. 2022 Even the most representational paintings here approach landscape via abstraction.

Cate Mcquaid, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Aug. 2022 The art world was moving toward abstraction, yet Catlett in the 1940s was set on diving deeper into social realism, to portray Black experiences in America— especially the experiences of Black women.

Kovie Biakolo, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Aug. 2022 But to find the candidates to meet the challenges might just come down to a shift inside STEM education that better integrates the importance of spatial reasoning and abstraction to the overall learning process.

Rod Berger, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 To a former female debater, however, there was something uncanny, even comical, about Lerner’s abstraction.

Tess Mcnulty, Harper’s Magazine , 17 Aug. 2022 An image, fixed in time and space, offers an abstract view of our four-dimensional world; as one’s vision deteriorates, abstraction increases.

The New Yorker, 20 June 2022 Her work, a blend of imagery and abstraction, has stemmed from her eye condition strabismus.

Sofia Krusmark, The Arizona Republic, 17 June 2022 Nashville artist Charlotte Terrell creates custom murals for her clients that reference traditional scenics but veer more towards abstraction.

Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, 25 May 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French, "abduction (of a woman), removal, extraction (of a foreign body from a wound), (in philosophy) process by which the mind is able to form universal representations of the properties of distinct objects," borrowed from Late Latin abstractiōn-, abstractiō, from Latin abstrac- (variant stem of abstrahere "to remove forcibly") + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at abstract entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

单词	abstractions
释义	abstraction noun ab·strac·tion ab-ˈstrak-shən əb- 1 a : the act or process of abstracting : the state of being abstracted b : an abstract idea or term 2 : absence of mind or preoccupation 3 : abstract quality or character 4 a : an abstract composition or creation in art b : abstractionism abstractional ab-ˈstrak-shnəl -shə-nᵊl əb- adjective abstractive ab-ˈstrak-tiv ˈab-ˌstrak- adjective Did you know? From its roots, abstraction should mean basically "something pulled or drawn away". So abstract art is art that has moved away from painting objects of the ordinary physical world in order to show something beyond it. Theories are often abstractions; so a theory about economics, for instance, may "pull back" to take a broad view that somehow explains all of economics (but maybe doesn't end up explaining any of it very successfully). An abstract of a medical or scientific article is a one-paragraph summary of its contents—that is, the basic findings "pulled out" of the article. Synonyms cogitation concept conception idea image impression intellection mind's eye notion picture thought See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences abstraction of data from hospital records “Beauty” and “truth” are abstractions. She gazed out the window in abstraction. Recent Examples on the Web Many of the pictures have a heightened contrast that emphasizes their abstraction. William Meyers, WSJ, 7 Sep. 2022 Even the most representational paintings here approach landscape via abstraction. Cate Mcquaid, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Aug. 2022 The art world was moving toward abstraction, yet Catlett in the 1940s was set on diving deeper into social realism, to portray Black experiences in America— especially the experiences of Black women. Kovie Biakolo, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Aug. 2022 But to find the candidates to meet the challenges might just come down to a shift inside STEM education that better integrates the importance of spatial reasoning and abstraction to the overall learning process. Rod Berger, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 To a former female debater, however, there was something uncanny, even comical, about Lerner’s abstraction. Tess Mcnulty, Harper’s Magazine , 17 Aug. 2022 An image, fixed in time and space, offers an abstract view of our four-dimensional world; as one’s vision deteriorates, abstraction increases. The New Yorker, 20 June 2022 Her work, a blend of imagery and abstraction, has stemmed from her eye condition strabismus. Sofia Krusmark, The Arizona Republic, 17 June 2022 Nashville artist Charlotte Terrell creates custom murals for her clients that reference traditional scenics but veer more towards abstraction. Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, 25 May 2022 See More Word History Etymology borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French, "abduction (of a woman), removal, extraction (of a foreign body from a wound), (in philosophy) process by which the mind is able to form universal representations of the properties of distinct objects," borrowed from Late Latin abstractiōn-, abstractiō, from Latin abstrac- (variant stem of abstrahere "to remove forcibly") + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at abstract entry 1 First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Kids Definition abstraction noun ab·strac·tion ab-ˈstrak-shən 1 : the act of summarizing : the state of being summarized 2 : a thought or thoughts about general qualities or ideas rather than people or things abstractions noun plural of abstraction as in notions something imagined or pictured in the mind to a people who have lived under one dictatorship after another, democracy and freedom are mere abstractions Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance notions concepts ideas thoughts conceptions pictures impressions images cogitations perceptions observations reflections theories assumptions intellections prejudices illusions beliefs hunches phantasms preconceptions conceits delusions presentiments hypotheses premonitions vagaries apprehensions chimeras hallucinations cognitions prepossessions mind's eyes speculations caprices conjectures convictions whims fantasms fancies guesses inspirations conclusions suppositions kinks brainstorms brain waves freaks surmises brainchildren Antonyms & Near Antonyms realities facts actualities
随便看	imitate imitated imitatee imitates imitating imitatio Christi imitation imitation art paper imitation brick imitation leather imitational imitations imitative imitative magic imitatively imitativeness imitativenesses countinghouse countinghouses countless countlessly countlessnesses countor countour countree

abstraction

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

noun

noun