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abstraho

Etymology and origin of the Latin word abstraho

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Terence
Ultimate origin
Latin (trahō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈap.stra.(ɦ)oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈab.stra.o][1]

Forms

abstrahō (present infinitive abstrahere, perfect active abstrāxī, supine abstractum); third conjugation[1] It is also spelled aps-, and Lucretius has the perfect infinitive abstraxe.[2]

Etymology

It is from ab- “away” and trahō “to drag”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Terence, of dragging away and of freeing.[2] Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to drag away, remove by force, carry off to execution, as in Terence, and to free from a situation.[2] In Livy it meant to take away, appropriate, in Sallust to split into parts, and in Cicero to divert, distract from a course.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to drag or draw away.[5] It survives in Italian astrarre, French abstraire and Spanish abstraer, and its participle abstractus “drawn away” gave English abstract in the late 14th century, first in grammar.[1][3]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of dragging away.[2][4]
  • 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of splitting.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of diverting.[2][4]
  • late 14th century – English abstract is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To drag away; to carry off.[2]
  2. To take away, appropriate.[2]
  3. To free.[2]
  4. To split; to subtract.[2]
  5. To divert, distract.[2]

Word family

  • abstractiō
  • abstractus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Abstraho.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/abstraho. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·