Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.

Abstraction

Definitions: Abstraction

Abstraction

Noun

1. A concept or idea not associated with any specific instance; "he loved her only in the abstract--not in person".

2. The act of withdrawing or removing something.

3. The process of formulating general concepts by abstracting common properties of instances.

4. An abstract painting.

5. Preoccupation with something to the exclusion of all else.

6. A general concept formed by extracting common features from specific examples.

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "abstraction" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1550. (references)

Etymology: Abstraction \Ab*strac"tion\, noun. [Compare to the French expression abstraction. See Abstract,]. (Websters 1913)



Specialty Definitions: Abstraction

DomainDefinitions

Computing

Abstraction 1. Generalisation; ignoring or hiding details to capture some kind of commonality between different instances. Examples are abstract data types (the representation details are hidden), abstract syntax (the details of the concrete syntax are ignored), abstract interpretation (details are ignored to analyse specific properties). 2. Parameterisation, making something a function of something else. Examples are lambda abstractions (making a term into a function of some variable), higher-order functions (parameters are functions), bracket abstraction (making a term into a function of a variable). Opposite of concretisation. (1998-06-04). Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing.

Geography

Derivation of water from, for example, a river for irrigation purposes. Source: European Union. (references)

Literature

Abstraction An empty Abstraction, a mere ideality, of no practical use. Every noun is an abstraction, but the narrower genera may be raised to higher ones, till the common thread is so fine that hardly anything is left. These high abstractions, from which everything but one common cord is taken, are called empty abstractions.
For example, man is a genus, but may be raised to the genus animal, thence to organised being, thence to created being, thence to matter in the abstract, and so on, till everything but one is emptied out. Source: Brewer's Dictionary.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Top     

Specialty Definition: Abstraction

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Abstraction is the thought process wherein ideas are distanced from objects.

Abstraction uses a strategy of simplification of detail, wherein formerly concrete details are left ambiguous, vague, or undefined; thus speaking of things in the abstract demands that the listener have an intuitive or common experience with the speaker, if the speaker expects to be understood.

For example, lots of different things have the property of redness: lots of things are red. And we find the relation sitting-on everywhere: many things sit on other things. The property of redness and the relation sitting-on are therefore abstract.

Problems begin to arise, however, when we try to define specific rules by which we can determine which things are abstract, and which concrete.

Conceptual schemes for abstraction

Instantiation

Something is often considered abstract if it does not exist at any particular place and time but instances, or members, of it can exist in many different places and/or times (we say that what is abstract can be multiply instantiated).

If however we just say that what is abstract is what can be instantiated, and that abstraction is simply the movement in the opposite direction to instantiation, we haven't explained everything. That makes 'dog' and 'telephone' abstract ideas, but even small children can recognise a dog or a telephone despite their varying appearances in particular cases. You could say that these concepts are abstractions but are not found to be very abstract in a conceptual sense. We can look at the progression from dog to mammal to animal, and see that animal is more abstract than mammal; but on the other hand mammal is a harder idea to express, certainly in relation to marsupial.

Physicality

Things are often said to be concrete, that is, not abstract, when they have physical existence or when they occupy space.

Realness

Abstract things are sometimes defined as those things that do not exist in reality or exist only as sensory experience, like red. The problem begins to arise here when we try to decide which things are, in fact, real. Is God real, or abstract? Even if real, could God also be abstract? Is the number 2 real? Is goodness real, or only its effects, or is it just an abstract idea created by humans?

Abstraction used in philosophy

Abstraction in philosophy is the (oft-alleged) process, in concept-formation, of recognizing among a number of individuals some common feature, and on that basis forming the concept of that feature. The notion of abstraction is important to understanding some philosophical controversies surrounding empiricism and the problem of universals.

Ontological status of abstract concepts

If we say that properties and relations are, or have being, clearly we mean they have a different sort of being from that which physical objects, like rocks and trees, have. That accounts for the usefulness of the word abstract. We apply it to properties and relations to mark the fact that if they exist, they do not exist in space or time, but that instances of them can exist in many different places.

On the other hand the apple and an individual human being are said to be concrete, and particulars, and individuals.

Confusingly, philosophers sometimes refer to tropes, or property-instances (e.g., the particular redness of this particular apple), as abstract particulars.

Gottlob Frege abstracts abstraction

To be filled with a paragraph or two describing Frege's definition of abstraction.

Reification

Reification, also called hypostatization, is usually considered a logical fallacy wherein an abstract concept, such as "society" or "technology" is treated as if it were a concrete thing. It is important to note that reification necessarily occurs linguistically in the English language and many other languages wherein abstract objects are referred to using the same sorts of nouns that signify concrete objects. This can further confuse us about which things are abstract and which concrete, as our language tends to influence us toward reification.

The neurology of abstraction

Some research into the human brain suggests that the left and right hemispheres differ in their handling of abstraction. One side handles collections of examples (eg: examples of a tree) whereas the other handles the concept itself.

Related articles

Abstract art, abstraction (computer science), abstract structure, Gottlob Frege, ontology

External Links

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Abstraction."

Top     

Synonyms: Abstraction

Synonyms: abstract (n), abstractedness (n), generalisation (n), generalization (n). (additional references)

Top     

Synonyms within Context: Abstraction

ContextSynonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus).

Attention

Absorption of mind; (abstraction).

Disjunction

Noun: disjunction, disconnection, disunity, disunion, disassociation, disengagement; discontinuity; abjunction; cataclasm; inconnection; abstraction, abstractedness; isolation; insularity, insulation; oasis; island; separateness; Adjective: severalty; disjecta membra; dispersion; apportionment.

Inattention

Abstraction; absence of mind, absorption of mind; preoccupation, distraction, reverie, brown study, deep musing, fit of abstraction.

Nonaddition Subtraction

Noun: subtraction, subduction; deduction, retrenchment; removal, withdrawal; ablation, sublation; abstraction; (taking); garbling; Verb: mutilation, detruncation; amputation; abscission, excision, recision; curtailment; minuend, subtrahend; decrease; abrasion.

Stealing

Noun: stealing; Verb: theft, thievery, latrociny, direption; abstraction, appropriation; plagiary, plagiarism; autoplagiarism; latrocinium.

Taking

Noun: taking; Verb: reception; (taking in); deglutition; (taking food); appropriation, prehension, prensation; capture, caption; apprehension, deprehension; abreption, seizure, expropriation, abduction, ablation; subtraction, withdrawal; abstraction, ademption; adrolepsy.

Thought

Abstract thought, abstraction contemplation, musing; brown study; (inattention); reverie, Platonism; depth of thought, workings of the mind, thoughts, inmost thoughts; self-counsel self-communing, self-consultation; philosophy of the Absolute, philosophy of the Academy, philosophy of the Garden, philosophy of the lyceum, philosophy of the Porch.

Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus.

Top     

Crosswords: Abstraction

English words defined with "abstraction": Abstractional, attributeBrown studyCongelationDefiliation, dream-ionPrecisiverelationSelf-involution, Stargasingteacher, thing. (references)
Specialty definitions using "abstraction": 6.001abstract interpretation, abstraction relation, Ada, Administration, alpha conversion, Alphard, Application Program Interface, aspect-oriented programmingbeta abstraction, beta conversion, beta reduction, bottom-up implementation, bound variable, bracket abstraction, buy-downCaptain Abstraction, CLU, Concurrent C , Concurrent CLU, constant applicative formdata abstraction, digital item declarationeta abstraction, eta conversion, Extended Concurrent PrologFORMAT-Fortran, Fortran Matrix Abstraction Technique Fortran, fully lazy lambda liftingHAL, Hardware Abstraction Layer, head normal formintellectual dementia, Intermediate Programming Languagelambda abstraction, Liskov substitution principlemaximal free expression, MODEFname captureOpen Distributed Processing, open/closed principleprincipal type, Prographraw mode, redocumentation, restructuring, reverse engineeringsötvatten, set abstraction, SIMULA I, Siri, Syntax/Semantic Language, Syntax-Casewater abstraction, Weak Head Normal Form, Windows NT, Windows Open Service Architecture. (references)
Non-English Usage: "Abstraction" is also a word in the following language with English translations in parentheses.

French (abstract, abstraction).

Top     

Modern Usage: Abstraction

DomainUsage

Screenplays

The conceptualization, the whole abstraction, the obtuseness of this production to me was what was interesting. (Waiting for Guffman; writing credit: Christopher Guest; Eugene Levy)

Movie/TV Titles

Abstraction in Blue (1994)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Top     

Commercial Usage: Abstraction

DomainTitle

Books

  • Asian Traditions Modern Expressions: Asian American Artists and Abstraction, 1945-1970 (reference)

  • Conquest of Abundance: A Tale of Abstraction Versus the Richness of Being (reference)

  • Data Abstraction and Problem Solving with C++: Walls and Mirrors (3rd Edition) (reference)

  • John Marin: Between Realism and Abstraction (reference)

  • Ornament and Abstraction (reference)

    (more book examples)

  

Theater & Movies

  • Mondrian: From Naturalism to Abstraction (reference)

    (more DVD examples; more video examples)

  

Music

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Top     

Image Slideshow: Abstraction

Photos:
Abstraction

More images...

Illustrations:
Abstraction

More images...

Top     

Familiar Quotations: Abstraction

AuthorQuotation

Doris Lessing

It is terrible to destroy a person's picture of himself in the interests of truth or some other abstraction.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Top     

Use in Literature: Abstraction

TitleAuthorQuote

Walden

Thoreau, Henry David

Every man has to learn the points of compass again as often as be awakes, whether from sleep or any abstraction.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Top     

Non-Fiction Usage: Abstraction

SubjectTopicQuote

Health

Common deficits in alcoholics with dementia include impaired abstraction, poor short-term memory, and visuospatial difficulties, whereas patients with AD do not manifest the same degree of visuospatial impairment but do manifest profound memory loss that involves loss of both recognition and recall as well as word-finding deficits. (references)

Economic History

Bahrain

The local water supply comes mainly from non-renewable groundwater abstraction. (references)

Lexicography

Devil's Dictionary

ADMINISTRATION, n. An ingenious abstraction in politics, designed to receive the kicks and cuffs due to the premier or president. A man of straw, proof against bad-egging and dead-catting.

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Top     

Speeches: Abstraction

SpeakerTermPhrase(s)

Abraham Lincoln

1861-1865As yet, whatever it may hereafter become, that question is bad, as the basis of a controversy, and good for nothing at all-a merely pernicious abstraction.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Top     

Usage Frequency: Abstraction

"Abstraction" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 99.78% of the time. "Abstraction" is used about 454 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted)
Parts of SpeechPercentUsage per
100 Million Words
Rank in English
Noun (singular)99.78%45312,868
Noun (proper)0.22%1339,140
                    Total100.00%454N/A

Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.

Top     

Expression: Abstraction

Expressions using "abstraction": abstraction relation beta abstraction bracket abstraction captain Abstraction data abstraction eta abstraction fit of abstraction Fortran Matrix Abstraction Technique Fortran hardware Abstraction Layer lambda abstraction set abstraction water abstraction. Additional references.

Hypenated Usage

Ending with "abstraction": over-abstraction.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Top     

Frequency of Internet Keywords: Abstraction

The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com.
 
ExpressionFrequency
per Day

abstraction

56

abstraction water

7

abstraction hardware layer

7

abstraction data

7

abstraction enemy from space

5

abstraction art

4

abstraction art cellar

3

abstraction art wrestle

3

abstraction art wreck

3

abstraction lyrique

2
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Top     

Modern Translations: Abstraction

Language Translations for "abstraction"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses.

Albanian

  

abstragim, shrëputje, rënie në mendime (pensiveness). (various references)

   

Arabic 

  

‏فكرة غامضة (glimmer), ‏فكرة تجريدية (abstract), ‏لوحة فنية تجريدية, ‏تعبير تجريدي, ‏إزالة (eliminate, elimination, removal, sweep). (various references)

   

Bulgarian 

  

разсеяност (absence, absence of mind, absentmindedness, abstractedness, distraction, forgetfulness, preoccupation, vacancy, wool gathering), отвличане (abduction, distraction, hijack, kidnapping, rape, ravishment, revulsion, snatch), абстракция (abstract). (various references)

   

Chinese 

  

(abdicate, Buddhism, meditation), 抽象 (Abstractness). (various references)

   

Czech

  

abstrakce, roztržitost (absence, absentmindedness, abstractedness, preoccupation). (various references)

   

Danish

  

tyveri (theft). (various references)

   

Dutch

  

abstractie (abstraction?G), abstract begrip. (various references)

   

Esperanto

  

abstraktaĵo, forrabo, ekstraktado, distriteco (absence of mind), distriĝemo (absence of mind), ŝtelo (theft). (various references)

   

Finnish

  

abstraktio (abstraction?G). (various references)

   

French

  

abstraction (abstract, abstraction?G). (various references)

   

Frisian

  

dieverij (theft). (various references)

   

German

  

Abstraktion (abstraction?G, feature). (various references)

   

Greek 

  

αφαίρεση (ablation, abstraction?G, deduction, excision, extraction, removal, subtraction, withdrawal, withdrawament, write off). (various references)

   

Hebrew 

  

פזור פש (absent minded, bird witted, muzzy, scatterbrained), "פשט" (disrobing, skinning, stripping). (various references)

   

Hungarian

  

elvonás (distraction, drain), absztrakció, elvontság. (various references)

   

Icelandic

  

óhlutstætt hugtak. (various references)

   

Indonesian

  

abstraksi, pemisahan (segregation, separation), pemindahan (conveyance, displacement, transfer), keniskalaan. (various references)

   

Italian

  

furto (larceny, pinch, robbery, search, snatch, stealing, theft, thieving), estrazione (conveying, draw, draw by lot, drawing, drawing by lot, extraction, fall, haulage, lottery, mining, raffle, transport, transportation, withdrawal), astrazione (abstraction?G). (various references)

   

Japanese Kanji 

  

抽象化 , 捨象 , アフリカ民族会議 (a priori, abnormal, abseiling, absinthe, absolutism, abstract, abstract art, adding sounds to a soundtrack after a film has been made, African National Congress, Afro, Afro-Cuban rhythm, Afro-hair, ahead, ANC, APL, application, application program, application software, apply, approach, approach light, approach shot, apres-guerre, apricot, dubbing, lowering on a rope, postlooping, postrecording, postsynchronization). (various references)

   

Japanese Katakana 

  

しゃしょう (company badge, conductor, image), アブストラクション , ちゅうしょうか. (various references)

   

Manx

  

neuloaghtys (insensibility). (various references)

   

Papiamen

  

apstrakshon, robo (theft). (various references)

   

Pig Latin

  

abstractionay.(various references)

   

Portuguese

  

furto (filch, larceny, petty theft, picking, theft, thievery), abstracção (abstraction?G). (various references)

   

Romanian

  

abstragere, abstracţiune, abstracţie (abstract), teorie (ideology, speculation, theory), sustragere (avoidance, removal, theft), scãdere (decline, decrease, deduction, defect, deficiency, degression, derogation, diminution, drawback, drop, fall, lessening, reduction, remission, shortcoming, subtraction), neatenţie (distraction, forgetfulness, inadvertence, inadvertency, inattention, listlessness, negligence, perfunctorines, want of care, wool gathering), idee abstractã (abstract), furt (burglarious, burglary, defalcation, embezzlement, job, larceny, lift, robbery, stealth, theft, thievery), extragere (draw, drawing, evulsion, extraction). (various references)

   

Russian 

  

абстракция (abstract). (various references)

   

Serbo-Croatian

  

apstraktnost (abstractiveness), apstrakcija, rasejanost (absentmindedness, abstractedness, wool gathering), ras. (various references)

   

Spanish

  

abstracción (abstract, abstraction?G), robo (job, ravishment, robbery, stealing, theft, thievery). (various references)

   

Sranan

  

fufuru (abstract, steal, theft). (various references)

   

Swedish

  

abstraktion (abstractedness, abstraction?G). (various references)

   

Turkish

  

ayırma (appropriation, assortment, combout, cull, detachment, dissociation, distinction, division, estrangement, fractionation, insularity, isolation, partition, reduction, resolution, screening, segregation, segregative, seperation, sequestration, severance, sunder, sunderance, throw out, turn off), soyutlama, soyut terim, hirsizlik (theft), dalgınlık (absence, absence of mind, absent-mindedness, abstractedness, Kef, pensiveness, reverie, thoughtfulness, vacancy, vacuity, wandering, woolgathering), çalma (blow, defalcation, knock, larceny, pilferage, playing, rendering, rendition, stealing, strike, tendency, theft). (various references)

   

Ukranian 

  

неуважність (absence, absentmindedness, abstractedness, carelessness, inadvertence, inadvertency, inattention, negligence, obliviousness, oscitancy, oscitation, wool gathering), замислення, абстракція (abstract), абстрагування. (various references)

   

Vietnamese 

  

vật trừu tượng sự lơ đãng sự chiết ra, sự trừu tượng hoá cách nhìn trừu tượng, sự trừu tượng, sự rút ra sự lấy trộm, sự ăn cắp (filching, thievery), quan điểm trừu tượng, khái niệm trừu tượng. (various references)

   

Welsh

  

synfyfyrdod (reverie), haniaeth. (various references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references.

Top     

Derivations & Misspellings: Abstraction

Derivations

Words beginning with "abstraction": abstractional, abstractionism, abstractionisms, abstractionist, abstractionists, abstractions. (additional references)

Words ending with "abstraction": semiabstraction. (additional references)

Words containing "abstraction": semiabstractions. (additional references)


Misspellings

"Abstraction" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: abstarction, abstractual, abstration, abstruction, abtraction, astraction, obstraction. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

Top     

Rhyming with "Abstraction"

# of Phoneme MatchesPronunciationWord(s) rhyming with "abstraction" (pronounced abstra"kshun)
8-s t r a" k sh u ndistraction, extraction.
7-t r a" k sh u nattraction, contraction, retraction, subtraction, traction.
6-r a" k sh u ndiffraction, fraction, infraction.
5-a" k sh u naction, dissatisfaction, exaction, faction, inaction, interaction, liquefaction, reaction, satisfaction, transaction.
4-k sh u nabduction, addiction, advection, affection, affliction, auction, benediction, circumspection, collection, complexion, compunction, concoction, conduction, confection, conjunction, connection, constriction, construction, contradiction, convection, conviction, correction, crucifixion, deconstruction, deduction, defection, depiction, dereliction, destruction, detection, diction, direction, disaffection, disconnection, disinfection, dissection, distinction, dysfunction, ejection, election, erection, eviction, extinction, fiction, flexion, friction, function, imperfection, induction, infarction, infection, inflection, infliction, injection, injunction, inspection, instruction, insurrection, interconnection, interdiction, interjection, intersection, introduction, introspection, junction, jurisdiction, liposuction, malfunction, midsection, nonfiction, objection, obstruction, overproduction, overprotection, overreaction, perfection, prediction, predilection, preelection, production, projection, protection, recollection, reconstruction, redirection, reduction, reelection, reflection, reinspection, reintroduction, rejection, reproduction, restriction, resurrection, sanction, section, seduction, selection, subsection, suction, transection.
3-sh u nabbreviation, abdication, aberration, abolition, abomination, abortion, abrogation, absolution, absorption, academician, acceleration, accession, acclimation, accommodation, accreditation, accretion, accumulation, accusation, acidification, acquisition, activation, adaptation, addition, adjudication, administration, admiration, admission, admonition, adoption, adoration, adulation, advocation, affectation, affiliation, affirmation, agglomeration, aggravation, aggression, agitation, alienation, allegation, alleviation, alliteration, allocation, alphabetization, alteration, altercation, alternation, amalgamation, ambition, amelioration, ammunition, amortization, amplification, amputation, animation, annexation, annihilation, annotation, antiabortion, anticipation, anticorruption, antidiscrimination, apparition, appellation, application, apportion, appreciation, apprehension, approbation, appropriation, approximation, arbitration, argumentation, articulation, ascension, ashen, aspiration, assassination, assertion, assimilation, association, assumption, attention, attribution, attrition, audition, augmentation, authentication, authorization, automation, aviation, avocation, balkanization, beautician, bifurcation, brutalization, calculation, calibration, cancellation, cannibalization, capitalization, capitulation, caption, carburetion, carnation, castration, categorization, causation, caution, celebration, centralization, certification, cessation, cetacean, characterization, circulation, citation, civilization, clarification, classification, clinician, coagulation, coalition, codification, coercion, cogeneration, cogitation, cognition, cohabitation, collaboration, collectivization, colonization, coloration, colorization, combination, commemoration, commendation, commercialization, commission, commotion, communication, communization, compassion, compensation, competition, compilation, completion, complication, composition, comprehension, compression, compulsion, computation, computerization, concatenation, concentration, conception, conceptualization, concession, conciliation, concussion, condemnation, condensation, condescension, condition, confabulation, confederation, confession, configuration, confirmation, confiscation, conflagration, confrontation, conglomeration, congratulation, congregation, conjugation, conniption, connotation, conscription, consecration, conservation, consideration, consolation, consolidation, constellation, consternation, constipation, constitution, consultation, consummation, consumption, contamination, contemplation, contention, continuation, contortion, contraception, contraption, contribution, contrition, convention, conversation, convocation, convolution, convulsion, cooperation, coordination, coronation, corporation, correlation, corroboration, corruption, counterrevolution, creation, cremation, criminalization, crustacean, culmination, cultivation, cushion, dalmatian, damnation, decaffeination, decapitation, deceleration, decentralization, deception, decertification, decimation, declaration, decommission, decomposition, decompression, decontamination, decoration, decriminalization, dedication, defamation, definition, deflation, deforestation, deformation, degeneration, degradation, dehumanization, dehydration, deification, deinstitutionalization, delegation, deletion, deliberation, delineation, demarcation, demilitarization, demobilization, democratization, demodulation, demolition, demonization, demonstration, demoralization, demotion, denationalization, denomination, dentition, denuclearization, denunciation, depletion, depopulation, deportation, deposition, depravation, depreciation, depredation, depression, deprivation, deregulation, derivation, desalination, desalinization, description, desecration, desegregation, desertion, desiccation, designation, desolation, desperation, destabilization, destination, destitution, detention, deterioration, determination, detonation, detoxication, detoxification, devaluation, devastation, deviation, devolution, devotion, dictation, dietitian, differentiation, digression, dilatation, dilation, dilution, dimension, diminution, discoloration, discontinuation, discretion, discrimination, discussion, disembarkation, disinclination, disinflation, disinformation, disintegration, dislocation, disorganization, disorientation, dispensation, disposition, disputation, disqualification, disruption, dissemination, dissension, dissertation, dissipation, dissociation, dissolution, distillation, distortion, distribution, diversification, divination, documentation, domestication, domination, donation, dramatization, duplication, duration, echolocation, edification, edition, education, egyptian, ejaculation, elaboration, elation, electrician, electrification, electrocution, elevation, elimination, elocution, elongation, emanation, emancipation, embarkation, emigration, emission, emotion, emulation, emulsion, encryption, enumeration, equalization, equitation, equivocation, eradication, erudition, eruption, escalation, estimation, evacuation, evaluation, evaporation, evocation, evolution, exacerbation, exaggeration, examination, exasperation, excavation, exception, excitation, exclamation, excommunication, excoriation, excretion, execution, exemption, exertion, exfoliation, exhalation, exhibition, exhilaration, exhortation, exhumation, exoneration, expansion, expatriation, expectation, expedition, experimentation, expiration, explanation, explication, exploitation, exploration, exposition, expression, expropriation, expulsion, extension, extermination, extortion, extradition, extrapolation, fabrication, facilitation, falsification, fascination, fashion, federation, fermentation, fertilization, fibrillation, figuration, filtration, fission, fixation, flirtation, flotation, fluctuation, fluoridation, foliation, formalization, formation, formulation, fortification, foundation, fragmentation, freshen, fruition, frustration, fumigation, gasification, gastrulation, generalization, generation, gentian, gentrification, geriatrician, germination, gestation, glaciation, globalization, glorification, gradation, graduation, granulation, gratification, gravitation, gumption, gyration, habitation, hallucination, harmonization, hesitation, hessian, hibernation, homogenization, hospitalization, humiliation, hybridization, hydration, hydrogenation, hyperinflation, hypertension, hypotension, identification, ignition, illumination, illustration, imagination, imitation, immigration, immunization, impassion, impersonation, implantation, implementation, implication, importation, imposition, impregnation, impression, improvisation, imputation, inactivation, inauguration, incantation, incapacitation, incarceration, incarnation, inception, incineration, inclination, incoordination, incorporation, incrimination, incrustation, incubation, indemnification, indentation, indexation, indication, indignation, indiscretion, indoctrination, industrialization, infatuation, infestation, infiltration, inflammation, inflation, information, inhabitation, inhalation, inhibition, initiation, innovation, inoculation, inquisition, inscription, insemination, insertion, insinuation, inspiration, installation, instigation, institution, institutionalization, instrumentation, insubordination, insulation, integration, intensification, interception, intercession, intermission, internationalization, interpretation, interrogation, interruption, intimation, intimidation, intonation, intoxication, intuition, inundation, invalidation, invention, investigation, invitation, invocation, ionization, irradiation, irrigation, irritation, isolation, jubilation, justification, juxtaposition, laceration, lactation, legalization, legislation, levitation, liberalization, liberation, libration, ligation, lilliputian, limitation, liquidation, litigation, localization, location, locomotion, logician, lotion, lubrication, machination, magician, magnetization, magnification, malformation, malnutrition, manifestation, manipulation, mansion, marginalization, martian, masturbation, mathematician, maturation, maximization, mechanization, mediation, medication, meditation, menstruation, mention, migration, mineralization, miniaturization, ministration, misallocation, misapplication, misapprehension, misappropriation, miscalculation, mischaracterization, miscommunication, misconception, miscreation, misidentification, misimpression, misinformation, misinterpretation, misperception, misrepresentation, mission, mitigation, mobilization, moderation, modernization, modification, modulation, molestation, monopolization, mortician, motion, motivation, multiplication, mummification, munition, musician, mutation, mutilation, narration, nation, nationalization, naturalization, navigation, negation, negotiation, neutralization, nitration, nomination, nonaggression, nondiscrimination, nonprescription, nonproliferation, normalization, notation, notification, notion, nucleation, nullification, nutrition, obfuscation, obligation, observation, obsession, obstetrician, occupation, ocean, omission, operation, opposition, oppression, optician, optimization, option, oration, orchestration, ordination, organisation, organization, orientation, origination, ornamentation, oscillation, ossification, ostentation, ovation, overconsumption, overexpansion, overpopulation, overregulation, oversimplification, overvaluation, ovulation, oxidation, pacification, pagination, palpitation, participation, partition, passion, pasteurization, patrician, pediatrician, penetration, pension, perception, percussion, perforation, permission, permutation, perpetuation, persecution, personalization, personification, perspiration, perturbation, petition, physician, pigmentation, plantation, polarization, politician, politicization, pollination, pollution, pontification, popularization, population, portion, position, possession, potion, precaution, precession, precipitation, preconception, precondition, predestination, predisposition, preemption, prefabrication, preignition, premeditation, premonition, preoccupation, preparation, prescription, presentation, preservation, pressurization, presumption, presupposition, pretension, prevention, privation, privatization, probation, procession, proclamation, procrastination, procreation, profanation, profession, prognostication, progression, prohibition, proliferation, promotion, pronunciation, propagation, proportion, proposition, propulsion, proration, proscription, prosecution, prostitution, prostration, protestation, provocation, publication, punctuation, purification, qualification, quantification, quotation, radiation, radicalization, ramification, ratification, ration, rationalization, reaffirmation, realization, reallocation, reassertion, reauthorization, recalculation, recantation, recapitalization, reception, recertification, recession, recitation, reclamation, reclassification, recognition, recommendation, reconciliation, recondition, reconfiguration, reconfirmation, reconsideration, recreation, recrimination, rectification, recuperation, redecoration, rededication, redefinition, redemption, redistribution, reeducation, reevaluation, reexamination, reflation, reforestation, reformation, refrigeration, refutation, regeneration, regimentation, registration, regression, regulation, rehabilitation, rehydration, reimposition, reincarnation, reincorporation, reintegration, reinterpretation, reinvention, reinvigoration, reiteration, rejuvenation, relation, relaxation, relocation, remediation, remission, remuneration, renationalization, rendition, renegotiation, renomination, renovation, renunciation, reorganization, reparation, repatriation, repercussion, repetition, replication, reposition, repossession, representation, repression, repudiation, reputation, requisition, reregulation, reservation, resignation, resolution, respiration, restitution, restoration, resumption, resuscitation, retaliation, retardation, retention, retransmission, retribution, reunification, revaluation, revelation, reverberation, revitalization, revocation, revolution, revulsion, rhetorician, rotation, rumination, salvation, sanctification, sanitation, saponification, saturation, secession, secretion, securitization, sedation, sedimentation, sedition, segmentation, segregation, sensation, separation, sequestration, session, simplification, simulation, situation, socialization, solicitation, solution, sophistication, specialization, specification, speculation, stabilization, stagflation, stagnation, standardization, starvation, station, statistician, sterilization, stimulation, stipulation, strangulation, subluxation, submission, subordination, subscription, subsidization, substantiation, substation, substitution, suburbanization, succession, suffocation, summation, superstation, superstition, supposition, suppression, suspension, suspicion, syncopation, syndication, tabulation, tactician, taxation, technician, telecommunication, temptation, tension, termination, theoretician, titian, titillation, toleration, tradition, transcription, transformation, transgression, transillumination, transition, translation, transmission, transplantation, transportation, trepidation, triangulation, tribulation, tuition, undervaluation, unification, unionization, urbanization, usurpation, utilization, vacation, vaccination, vacillation, validation, valuation, vaporization, variation, vegetation, venetian, ventilation, verification, vibration, victimization, vilification, vindication, violation, visitation, visualization, vocation, volition, vulgarization, westernization, workstation.

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Top     

Anagrams: Abstraction

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

Words within the letters "a-a-b-c-i-n-o-r-s-t-t"

-1 letter: castration.

-2 letters: abattoirs, botanicas, raincoats, tractions.

-3 letters: abattoir, abrasion, abstract, abstrict, acrobats, airboats, arnattos, bartisan, botanica, botanist, carabins, carotins, castrati, castrato, catboats, citators, contrast, corbinas, ocarinas, oscitant, raincoat, ricottas, strontia, strontic, taborins, tactions, traction, transact.

-4 letters: abators, abattis, abrosia, abstain, acrasin, acrobat, actions, airboat, anattos, antiars, anticar, arnatto, arnicas, aroints, artisan, astatic, astrict, atonics, attains, attorns, bastion, bicrons, bistort, bonacis, bonitas, botanic, brisant, cantors, carabin, carbons, carinas, caritas, carotin, cartons, catboat, cations, cistron, citator, citrons, contras, corbans, corbina, cortins, cottars, cratons, intorts, narcist, obtains, ocarina, octants, ostraca, rabatos, rations, rattans, rattons, ricotta, sabaton, sacaton, satanic, station, strobic, taborin, taction, tantras, tantric, tartans, transit, tricots, tritons, tsarina.

-5 letters: abatis, abator, aborts, acinar, acorns, actins, action, actors, anatto, antiar, antics, aorist, aortas, aortic, arabic, arista, aristo, arnica, aroint, arsino, artist, atonic, attain, attars, attics, attorn, bacons, bairns, bancos, barons, basion, batons, bicorn, bicron, binocs, bionts, biotas, bistro, boarts, bonaci, bonita, bonsai, bracts, brains, brants, britts, broncs, cabins, cairns, cantor, cantos, carats, carbon, carbos, carina, carobs, carton, casino, casita, castor, cation, citron, coatis, cobias, cobras, contra, corban, cortin, costar, cotans, cottar, cottas, crania, craton, crista, instar, intact, intort, intros, isobar, nairas, narcos, nastic, nitros, norias, obtain, octans, octant, orbits, orcins, ottars, rabato, rabats, racist, racons, ratans, ration, ratios, rattan, ratton, riatas, robins, sancta, santir, satori, scarab, scoria, scotia, scrota, sonata, sorbic, static, stator, stotin, strain, strait, strata, strati, strict, tabors, taints, tanist, tantra, tarocs, tarots, tarsia, tartan, tatars, tiaras, tincts, titans, tocsin, tonics, tracts, trains, traits, triacs, tricot, triton, tronas.

 Words containing the letters "a-a-b-c-i-n-o-r-s-t-t"
 

+1 letter: abstractions.

 

+2 letters: abstractional, contrabandist, contrabassist.

 

+3 letters: abortifacients, abstractionism, abstractionist, bacterizations, contrabandists, contrabassists.

 

+4 letters: abstractionisms, abstractionists, overabstracting, semiabstraction.

 

+5 letters: collaborationist, semiabstractions.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.

Top     

Alternative Orthography: Abstraction


Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)

41 62 73 74 72 61 63 74 69 6F 6E

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)

American Sign Language (origins from 1620-1817 in Italy and, especially, France) (references)

=

Semaphore (1791, in France) (references)

Braille (1829, in France) (references)

Morse Code (1836) (references)

.-    -...    ...    -    .-.    .-    -.-.    -    ..    ---    -.

Dancing Men (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1903) (references)

Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)

01000001 01100010 01110011 01110100 01110010 01100001 01100011 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110

HTML Code (1990) (references)

&#65 &#98 &#115 &#116 &#114 &#97 &#99 &#116 &#105 &#111 &#110

ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)

0041 0062 0073 0074 0072 0061 0063 0074 0069 006F 006E

British Sign Language (Fingerspelling, BSL; 1992, British Deaf Association Dictionary of British Sign Language) (references)

Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)

3568858684676986758180

Top     

 

INDEX

1. Definition
2. Synonyms
3. Crosswords
4. Usage: Modern
5. Usage: Commercial
6. Images: Slideshow
7. Quotations: Familiar
8. Quotations: Fiction
9. Quotations: Non-fiction
10. Quotations: Speeches
11. Usage Frequency
12. Expressions
13. Expressions: Internet
14. Translations: Modern
15. Derivations
16. Rhymes
17. Anagrams
18. Orthography
19. Bibliography


  

Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.