abstraction

noun16

1. •
   The act of focusing on one characteristic of an object rather than the object as a whole group of characteristics; the act of separating said qualities from the object or ideas.

   • Abstraction is necessary for the classification of things into genera and species.
2. •
   Any characteristic of an individual object when that characteristic has been separated from the object and is contemplated alone as a quality having independent existence.
3. •
   An idea or notion of an abstract or theoretical nature.
4. •
   An idea of an idealistic, unrealistic or visionary nature.
5. •
   The result of mentally abstracting an idea; the product of any mental process involving a synthesis of: separation, despecification, generalization, and ideation in any of a number of combinations.
6. •
   The act of comparing commonality between distinct objects and organizing using those similarities; the act of generalizing characteristics; the product of said generalization.
7. •
   Hiding implementation details from the interface of a component, to decrease complexity through interdependency and improve modularity; a construct that serves as such.

   • Files are an abstraction provided by the file system for storing data, so that applications do not have to care how that data is stored.
8. •
   An abstract creation, or piece of art; qualities of artwork that are free from representational aspects.

   • At one point, her spidery abstractions gave way to a series of abruptly syncopated hits, like a deranged allusion to the Thelonious Monk tune “Evidence.” — 2015
9. •
   The act of abstracting, separating, withdrawing, or taking away; withdrawal; the state of being taken away.
10. •
    Removal of water from a river, lake, or aquifer.
11. •
    A separation of volatile parts by the act of distillation.
12. •
    (euphemistic) The taking surreptitiously for one's own use part of the property of another; purloining.
13. •
    Absence or absorption of mind; inattention to present objects; preoccupation.
14. •
    A separation from worldly objects; a recluse life; the withdrawal from one's senses.
15. •
    A member of an idealized subgroup when contemplated according to the abstracted quality which defines the subgroup.
16. •
    The merging of two river valleys by the larger of the two deepening and widening so much so, as to assimilate the smaller.