French word

abstraire

Pronunciation

IPA/apstʁɛʁ/

Meaning

  • verbextract

Example

Il faut abstraire l'idée principale du texte.

It is necessary to extract the main idea from the text.

Illustration for abstraire (extract)

More examples

On peut abstraire une règle à partir de plusieurs exemples.

You can abstract a rule from several examples.

Core concept

A sieve lets individual objects fall away while retaining the pattern they share.

Common phrases

  • abstraire l'essentiel

    abstract the essentials

  • abstraire une règle

    abstract a rule

Similar words

résumer: Briefly state only the main points of lengthy content.
simplifier: Make something complex simpler and easier to understand.
extraire: Take out a specific element from a larger whole.
isoler: Separate an element from others so it stands independently.

Definition in French

Retirer les éléments concrets pour ne garder que l'idée générale ou l'essentiel.

Word origin

The verb continues Latin abstrahere, 'draw away', whose parts are ab- 'away' and trahere 'draw or pull'.

Usage tips

  • Abstraire is formal; dégager l'idée principale is more usual for extracting a main idea in ordinary French.

Other meanings

  • abstractverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word