Oswald Herzog, in an article on "Der Abstrakte Expressionismus" (Sturm, heft 50, 1919) gives us a statement which with equal felicity may be applied to the artistic attitude of the Dadaists. "Abstract Expressionism is perfect Expressionism," he writes. "It is pure creation. It casts spiritual processes into a corporeal mould. It does not borrow objects from the real world; it creates its own objects .... The abstract reveals the will of the artist; it becomes expression. ..." [William A. Drake, "The Life and Deeds of Dada," 1922]
Then, that art we have called "abstract" for want of any possible descriptive term, with which we have been patient, and, even, appreciative, getting high stimulation by the new Guggenheim "non-objective" Art Museum, is reflected in our examples of "surrealism," "dadaism," and what-not, to assert our acquaintance in every art, fine or other. [Report of the Art Reference Department of Pratt Institute Free Library for year ending June 30, 1937]
发音释义：['æbstrækt] n. 摘要；抽象；抽象的概念adj. 抽象的；深奥的vt. 摘要；提取；使……抽象化vi. 做摘要；写梗概
结构分析：abstract = abs（=ab，离开）+tract（抽、拽）→从中抽出→抽象。
词源解释：tract←拉丁语trahere（拖、拽）
同源词：tract（地带），tractor（拖拉机），traction（牵引），trace（痕迹），trait（特点），distract（分心），extract（提取），retract（缩回），subtract（减去）
该词的英语词源请访问趣词词源英文版：abstract 词源，abstract 含义。
前缀abs-为ab-变体，离开。词根tract,拉，见attract，吸引。
词根词缀： abs-分离 + -tract-拉