abstract
UK: ˈæbstrækt | US: ˈæbˌstrækt
adj. existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence
n. a summary of the contents of a book, article, or speech
vt. to consider something theoretically or separately from something else
vt. to extract or remove something
The word abstract originates from Latin abstractus, the past participle of abstrahere ("to drag away"). It combines abs- ("away") and trahere ("to pull"), reflecting the idea of "drawing away" from physical reality into theoretical or conceptual thought. Over time, it evolved to describe ideas detached from concrete examples, summaries of content, and the act of extraction.
The concept of justice is often discussed in abstract terms.
Please submit an abstract of your research paper by next week.
Philosophers abstract general principles from specific observations.
The artist’s work is highly abstract, with no recognizable forms.
Scientists abstract data from experiments to identify patterns.