Abstract Noun Definition And Examples is a part of noun in English grammar. You must know the definition of noun and then kinds of noun for better understanding. It is the detailed study of the definition of abstract noun with examples. You will find explanations also along with examples.
Let us start the subject without wasting time.
Abstract Noun Definition And Examples
You can find a simple definition of abstract noun.
Abstract ous are names of things that we cannot touch. We can hear, feel and think of these nouns. They are state, quality, feelings, actions and concepts etc.
See the example-
- Monu is admired for his honesty to his family.
- The boys enjoy their childhood.
- His sorrows lost no longer.
- The people of the city got the invitation to his birthday party.
Formations of Abstract Nouns
Generally, we make abstract nouns from –
- Common Nouns
- Adjectives
- Verbs
Let us the above three one by one.
From Common Nouns
Being the first rule of the subject – Abstract Noun Definition And Examples, it tells us that abstract noun can be made of a common noun. Here is a list of abstract noun and common noun below.
- master – mastery
- slave – slavery
- friend – friendship
- king – kingship
- coward – cowardice
- minister – ministry
- thief – theft
- burglar – burglary
- hero – heroism
- captain – captaincy
- bond – bondage
- child – childhood
- robber – robbery
- boy – boyhood
- owner – ownership
- dacoit – dacoity
- agent – agency
- relation – relationship
- infant – infancy
- school – schooling
From Adjectives
Being the second rule of the subject – Abstract Noun Definition And Examples, it tells us that a collective noun can also be made of adjectives. See the list below.
- brave – bravery
- bold – boldness
- able – ability
- active – activity
- big – bigness
- broad – breadth
- intelligent – intelligence
- dark – darkness
- deep – depth
- courteous – courtesy
- cruel – cruelty
- different – difference
- eager – eagerness
- hot – heat
- ignorant – ignorance
- free – freedom
- high – height
- patient – patience
- just – justice
- grateful – gratitude
- poor – poverty
- quick – quickness
- true – truth
- polite – politeness
- slow – sloth
- rapid – rapidity
- false – falsehood
- foolish – folly
- humble – humility
From Verbs
Being the third rule of the subject – Abstract Noun Definition And Examples, it tells us that we can make an abstract noun from a verb also.
See the examples below.
- act – action
- do – deed
- advise – advice
- arrive – arrival
- carry – carriage
- describe – description
- defend – defence
- go – gait
- hate – hatred
- expect – expectation
- give – gift
- heal – health
- injure – injury
- see – sight
- punish – punishment
- pay – payment
- speak – speech
- save – saving
- enclose – enclosure
From Verbs having the same form
Here is a list of verbs having the same form in both noun and verb.
See the list below.
- fall – fall
- cry – cry
- desire – desire
- fear – fear
- stay – stay
- step – step
- sleep – sleep
- ride – ride
- help – help
- love – love
- hope – hope
- joke – joke
- mark – mark
- regret – regret
- respect – respect
- talk – talk
- walk – walk
- taste – taste
- touch – touch
- want – want
- work – work
Let’s see some examples of the abstract noun
Underline the abstract noun for the subject – Abstract Noun Definition And Examples. Forget not to mention the kind of each.
- Who say childhood is innocent and youth is rash?
- Please don’t talk about her walk and talk.
- I like paintings and music very much.
- Honesty pays later in life.
- Her beauty needs no admiration.
Check your answers
- Who say childhood is innocent and youth is rash?
- Please don’t talk about her walk and talk.
- I like paintings and music very much.
- Honesty pays later in life.
- Her beauty needs no admiration.
Now let us analyze the above abstract nouns to clear the subject – Abstract Noun Definition And Examples.
In the first sentence, childhood and youth are abstract nouns. They show the state of life. And we know the abstract noun shows the state, quality, action and concepts.
In the second sentence, walk and talk are the abstract nouns. They show the action. You remember that you have read these nouns, which have the same form in verb and noun.
The third sentence tells that paintings and music are abstract nouns because they show actions.
In the fourth sentence, honesty is an abstract noun. It shows the quality of a person.
Finally, in the last sentence, beauty and admiration are abstract nouns. Beauty shows the quality, and admiration shows the action.
If you understood the Abstract Noun Definition And Examples, you can move onto the proper noun exercises with answers for your practice and more clarification. Exercise on Abstract nouns will make you learn more.