abstraction
5 synonyms and 2 antonyms for abstraction, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The process of considering an idea or quality separately from any specific object.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use abstraction
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
level of abstraction
a useful abstraction
layer of abstraction
Etymology
From Middle French abstraction or Medieval Latin abstractio, "a separation," based on Latin abstraho, "to draw away."
Full origin of abstraction →Frequently asked questions
What does “abstraction” mean?
The word “abstraction” means the process of considering an idea or quality separately from any specific object. In plain terms, a general idea separated from any one specific example — or, in tech, hiding complexity behind a simple interface.
How do you pronounce “abstraction”?
“Abstraction” is pronounced uhb-STRAK-shn (/æbˈstɹæk.ʃn̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “abstraction” in a sentence?
Here is “abstraction” used in a sentence: “Mathematics relies heavily on abstraction to generalize patterns.”
What is the opposite of “abstraction”?
The opposite of “abstraction” — its antonyms — are specialization and concretization.
What part of speech is “abstraction”?
“Abstraction” is a noun.
Where does the word “abstraction” come from?
The word “abstraction” comes from Medieval Latin. From Middle French abstraction or Medieval Latin abstractio, "a separation," based on Latin abstraho, "to draw away.".
Is “abstraction” a common word?
“Abstraction” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “abstraction” have?
“Abstraction” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the process of considering an idea or quality separately from any specific object.
