abstractnoun

An abstract noun is a noun that denotes an idea, quality, state, or concept rather than a physical object. Abstract nouns name things that cannot be perceived directly through the senses, such as freedom, happiness, intelligence, democracy, or time. They express conditions, properties, or ideational content rather than tangible material.

By contrast, concrete nouns name things that can be sensed—objects, people, or substances. Some words can function as both abstract and concrete depending on usage; and while many abstract nouns are uncountable in ordinary speech (freedom, happiness, patience), they can be countable in specific contexts (two freedoms, several ideas).

Most abstract nouns are formed from adjectives or verbs by derivation, or from other nouns. Common suffixes include -ness and -ity (happiness, clarity), -tion or -sion (formation, action), -ance/-ence (importance, patience), -ship (friendship), and -ism (optimism).

In usage, abstract nouns appear frequently in philosophy, ethics, law, and literature, where they express values, beliefs, theories, or experiences. They often take definite articles when referring to a known concept: the truth, the courage, and they can take adjectives to express degree: great wisdom, unfortunate ignorance.