abstraction: Meaning and Definition of
ab•strac•tion
Pronunciation: (ab-strak'shun), [key]
— n.
- an abstract or general idea or term.
- the act of considering something as a general quality or characteristic, apart from concrete realities, specific objects, or actual instances.
- an impractical idea; something visionary and unrealistic.
- the act of taking away or separating; withdrawal: The sensation of cold is due to the abstraction of heat from our bodies.
- secret removal, esp. theft.
- absent-mindedness; inattention; mental absorption.
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- the abstract qualities or characteristics of a work of art.
- a work of art, esp. a nonrepresentational one, stressing formal relationships.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.