abstraction: Meaning and Definition of

ab•strac•tion

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