What does abstract mean?
"Abstract" is a versatile English word functioning as an adjective, a noun, and a verb. As an adjective, it describes things that exist as ideas or concepts rather than as physical objects — love, justice, and freedom are all abstract notions — and in art it refers to work that does not represent recognizable forms from the visible world. As a noun, an "abstract" is most commonly a concise summary of a scholarly article or thesis, giving readers a quick overview of its content before they read the full text. As a verb, "to abstract" means to remove or separate something, or to consider a subject in theoretical terms detached from practical detail. The word carries connotations of intellectualism and distance from the everyday: calling an argument "too abstract" suggests it lacks concrete relevance. Derived from Latin roots meaning "to draw away," it remains essential vocabulary across philosophy, science, law, and art criticism.
Existing in thought or as an idea rather than as something concrete or tangible; also, of art, not representing recognizable objects from reality.
"Beauty is an abstract quality that resists precise measurement."
Stressed on the first syllable: /ˈæbstrækt/.
A brief summary of a document, especially a research paper; also, an abstract work of art.
"The journal requires an abstract of no more than 300 words."
Plural: 'abstracts'.
To remove or separate something, or to consider something theoretically apart from its concrete instances.
"The accountant was found to have abstracted money from client accounts over several years."
Stressed on the second syllable: /æbˈstrækt/. The 'steal' sense is formal and chiefly legal.
Used only for the noun senses — summaries of documents and abstract works of art.
"All accepted papers will have their abstracts published in the conference proceedings."
Every word on this page is itself abstract — a symbol standing for something you can't touch — which makes 'abstract' one of the few words that proves its own definition.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of abstract
"Abstract" derives from the Latin "abstractus," the past participle of "abstrahere," meaning "to draw away" or "drag away," formed from "ab-" (away from) plus "trahere" (to draw or pull). It entered English via Latin in the medieval period, initially in scholastic philosophical usage describing the mental process of separating general qualities from particular objects. This same Latin root gives English a family of related words including "subtract," "extract," "distract," and "contract," all built on the notion of drawing or pulling.
Related word forms
How abstract is actually used
As an adjective and noun, 'abstract' is stressed on the first syllable (/ˈæbstrækt/); as a verb, stress shifts to the second syllable (/æbˈstrækt/). The adjective ranges from neutral academic register ('abstract concept') to specialized art-world usage ('abstract expressionism'). The verb sense meaning 'to steal' ('he abstracted funds from the account') is formal and somewhat old-fashioned but still appears in legal contexts.
Easily confused with abstract
'Abstract' describes ideas removed from physical reality, while 'obtuse' means slow to understand or (of an angle) greater than 90 degrees.
'Abstruse' means difficult to understand; 'abstract' means not concrete — an idea can be abstract without being abstruse.