abstraktum

Abstraktum is a term used in linguistics and grammar to denote a noun that refers to an abstract concept, quality, state, or relation rather than a tangible, perceptible object. It is often contrasted with Konkretum (concrete noun), which denotes things that can be sensed or directly experienced. The distinction is common in German-language grammars and in typological descriptions, although terminology varies by language.

The word abstraktum comes from Latin abstraktus “drawn away.” In linguistic description, abstraktum signifies the semantic class of nouns whose referents are not physical substances. Abstract nouns frequently arise from adjectives or verbs through derivational processes and may form in many languages with standard suffixes or affixes, such as -heit, -keit, -ung, or -nis in German, and -ness, -ity, -tion, -ment in English. They often function as nouns within sentences, taking determiners and taking scope for number, though many abstract nouns are not easily countable, and their pluralization can vary by language.

Examples include German words like Freiheit (freedom), Geduld (patience), and Gerechtigkeit (justice); English equivalents such as freedom, patience, justice, and love. Some nouns can be understood as abstraktum in one sense and concretum in another, depending on context (for instance, Liebe can denote an emotion as an abstract concept or a concrete, specific object of affection in certain constructions). The boundary between abstract and concrete can be fluid in natural language.

In usage, abstraktum provides a way to analyze semantics, morphology, and syntax, helping explain how languages treat non-material concepts, as well as how such nouns interact with determiners, numerals, and modifiers.