Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

abstract nonsense

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.87 in modern English

Syllables: ab-strac-t non-sense
IPA

20

Scrabble Score

16

Letters

4

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Details which are straightforward but so tedious that an author or lecturer would rather skip them (especially those of a category theoretical nature).

Humorous; Uncountable

noun

Details which involve diagram chasing.

Humorous; Uncountable

noun

Category theory in general.

Humorous; Uncountable

noun

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see abstract, nonsense.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

"³Lang’s Algebra [Lan02, p. 759] supports the general consensus that this was not intended as an epithet: In the forties and fifties (mostly in the works of Cartan, Eilenberg, MacLane, and Steenrod, see [CE56]), it was realized that there was a systematic way of developing certain relations of linear algebra, depending only on fairly general constructions which were mostly arrow-theoretic, and were affectionately called abstract nonsense by Steenrod."

Etymology

Coined by Norman Steenrod, popularized by Serge Lang.

Usage

Phrases

diagram chasing

Frequently Paired Words

diagram chasing handwave

Questions

What does abstract nonsense mean?: Details which are straightforward but so tedious that an author or lecturer would rather skip them (especially those of a category theoretical nature).
Where does abstract nonsense come from?: Coined by Norman Steenrod, popularized by Serge Lang.

How to pronounce abstract nonsense

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