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Webster 1913 Edition

Abstraction

Ab-strac′tion

,
Noun.
[Cf. F.
abstraction
. See
Abstract
,
Adj.
]
1.
The act of abstracting, separating, or withdrawing, or the state of being withdrawn; withdrawal.
A wrongful
abstraction
of wealth from certain members of the community.
J. S. Mill.
2.
(Metaph.)
The act process of leaving out of consideration one or more properties of a complex object so as to attend to others; analysis.
Thus, when the mind considers the form of a tree by itself, or the color of the leaves as separate from their size or figure, the act is called
abstraction
.
So, also, when it considers whiteness, softness, virtue, existence, as separate from any particular objects.
☞
Abstraction
is necessary to classification, by which things are arranged in genera and species. We separate in idea the qualities of certain objects, which are of the same kind, from others which are different, in each, and arrange the objects having the same properties in a class, or collected body.
Abstraction
is no positive act: it is simply the negative of attention.
Sir W. Hamilton.
3.
An idea or notion of an abstract, or theoretical nature;
as, to fight for mere
abstractions
.
4.
A separation from worldly objects; a recluse life;
as, a hermit’s
abstraction
.
5.
Absence or absorption of mind; inattention to present objects.
6.
The taking surreptitiously for one's own use part of the property of another; purloining.
[Modern]
7.
(Chem.)
A separation of volatile parts by the act of distillation.
Nicholson.

Webster 1828 Edition

Abstraction

ABSTRAC'TION

,
Noun.
1.
The act of separating, or state of being separated.
2.
The operation of the mind when occupied by abstract ideas; as when we contemplate some particular part, or property of a complex object, as separate from the rest. Thus, when the mind considers the branch of a tree by itself, or the color of the leaves, as separate from their size or figure, the act is abstraction. so also, when it considers whiteness, softness, virtue, existence, as separate from any particular objects.
The power which the understanding has of separating the combinations which are presented to it, is distinguished by logicians, by the name of abstraction.
Abstraction is the ground-work of classification, by which things are arranged in orders, genera, and species. We separate in idea the qualities of certain objects which are of the same kind, from others which are different in each, and arrange the objects having the same properties in a class, or collected body.
3.
A separation from worldly objects, a recluse life; as a hermit's abstraction.
4.
Absence of mind; inattention to present objects.
5.
In the process of distillation, the term is used to denote the separation of the volatile parts, which rise, come over, and are condensed in a receiver, from those which are fixed. It is chiefly used, when a fluid is repeatedly poured upon any substance in a retort, and distilled off, to change its state, or the nature of its composition.

Definition 2024

abstraction

abstraction

English

Noun

abstraction ‎(countable and uncountable, plural abstractions)

  1. The act of abstracting, separating, withdrawing, or taking away; withdrawal; the state of being taken away. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.][1]
    • 1848, J. S. Mill, Principles of Political Economy with some of their Applications to Social Philosophy:
      The cancelling of the debt would be no destruction of wealth, but a transfer of it: a wrongful abstraction of wealth from certain members of the community, for the profit of the government, or of the tax-payers.
    1. (euphemistic) The taking surreptitiously for one's own use part of the property of another; purloining. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.][1]
    2. (engineering) Removal of water from a river, lake, or aquifer.
  2. A separation from worldly objects; a recluse life, as a hermit's abstraction; the withdrawal from one's senses. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.][1]
  3. 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. [First attested in the late 16th century.][1]
    • c. 1837, W. Hamilton, in Lectures on Metaphysics and Logic (1860), Lecture XXXV, page 474:
      Abstraction is no positive act: it is simply the negative of attention.
    Abstraction is necessary for the classification of things into genera and species.
  4. The act of comparing commonality between distinct objects and organizing using those similarities; the act of generalizing characteristics; the product of said generalization. [First attested in the late 16th century.][1]
  5. An idea or notion of an abstract or theoretical nature. [First attested in the late 16th century.][1]
    to fight for mere abstractions.
  6. Absence or absorption of mind; inattention to present objects; preoccupation. [First attested in the late 18th century.][1]
  7. (art) An abstract creation, or piece of art; qualities of artwork that are free from representational aspects. [First attested in the early 20th century.][2][1]
  8. (chemistry) A separation of volatile parts by the act of distillation.
  9. An idea of an unrealistic or visionary nature.
  10. The result of mentally abstracting an idea; the results of said process.
  11. (geology) The merging of two river valleys by the larger of the two deepening and widening so much so, as to assimilate the smaller.
  12. (computing) Any generalization technique that ignores or hides details to capture some kind of commonality between different instances for the purpose of controlling the intellectual complexity of engineered systems, particularly software systems.
  13. (computing) Any intellectual construct produced through the technique of abstraction.

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Lesley Brown (editor), The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition (Oxford University Press, 2003 [1933], ISBN 978-0-19-860575-7), page 10
  2. ↑ Elliott K. Dobbie, C. William Dunmore, Robert K. Barnhart, et al. (editors), Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2004 [1998], ISBN 0550142304), page 5

French

Pronunciation

Noun

abstraction f ‎(plural abstractions)

  1. abstraction

See also

Etymology

Either from Middle French or from Medieval Latin abstractio ‎(“separation”), from Latin abstrahō ‎(“to draw away”). Equivalent to abstract +‎ -tion.

Pronunciation

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