Abstraction Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary (original) (raw)

Britannica Dictionary definition of ABSTRACTION

1

[noncount]

:

the act of obtaining or removing something from a source

:

the act of abstracting something

• abstraction of data from hospital records

2

formal

:

a general idea or quality rather than an actual person, object, or event

:

an abstract idea or quality

[count]

• “Beauty” and “truth” are abstractions.

[noncount]

• the abstraction [=abstract quality] of his ideas

3

[noncount]

somewhat formal

:

the state of someone who is not paying attention to what is happening or being said

:

an abstracted state

• She gazed out the window in abstraction.