abstract

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈæbˌstɹækt/ See IPA manual

adj noun verb Freq #12893

Meanings

1

adj
based on general ideas rather than real or practical things

Freedom is an abstract concept that is hard to define.
2

adj
(of art) using shapes and colours rather than showing real objects

The gallery was full of large abstract paintings.
3

noun
a short summary of the main points of a longer piece of writing

Each scientific paper begins with a short abstract.
4

verb
to write a short summary of the main points of something

She abstracted her report into a single paragraph.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 adj · (of art) using shapes and... nonfigurative nonobjective

3 noun · a short summary of the main... summary synopsis

4 verb · to write a short summary of... summarize

More remove separate withdraw

Word family

Forms abstractedabstractingabstracts

Derived forms abstractableabstractedabstracterabstractificationabstractifyabstractizationabstractizeabstractly abstractness abstractorautoabstractmicroabstract

Related forms abstraction abstractiveabstractumreify

Common collocations

abstract art Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English abstract, borrowed from Latin abstractus, perfect passive participle of abstrahō (“draw away”), formed from abs- (“away”) + trahō (“to pull, draw”). The verbal sense is first attested in 1542.

abstract Middle English abstractus Latin

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Topics

Describing Qualities

# abstract

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj, noun, verb
**IPA (US):** ˈæbˌstɹækt
**Frequency rank:** 12893

## Meanings
1. based on general ideas rather than real or practical things
2. (of art) using shapes and colours rather than showing real objects
3. a short summary of the main points of a longer piece of writing
4. to write a short summary of the main points of something

## Examples
- Freedom is an abstract concept that is hard to define.
- The gallery was full of large abstract paintings.
- Each scientific paper begins with a short abstract.
- She abstracted her report into a single paragraph.

## Synonyms
- remove
- separate
- withdraw

## Derived Forms
- abstractable
- abstracted
- abstracter
- abstractification
- abstractify
- abstractization
- abstractize
- abstractly
- abstractness
- abstractor
- autoabstract
- microabstract

## Related Forms
- abstraction
- abstractive
- abstractum
- reify

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: abstract
- Root: abstractus
- Affix: ab- - away from

## Etymology
From Middle English abstract, borrowed from Latin abstractus, perfect passive participle of abstrahō (“draw away”), formed from abs- (“away”) + trahō (“to pull, draw”). The verbal sense is first attested in 1542.

## AI Etymology
Abstract comes from Middle English abstract, borrowed from Latin abstractus, perfect passive participle of abstrahō (“draw away”), formed from abs- (“away”) plus trahō (“to pull, draw”). The verbal sense is first attested in 1542. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adjectival form is built from the named base and affix.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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