A concrete noun is a Word for something physical; a Word something that can be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, or touched.
An abstract noun is a Word for something that is not physical; a Word for something that is known, learned, thought, understood, or felt emotionally.
Examples of concrete nouns are:
- Apple
- boy
- chair
- doughnut
- egg
- frog
Examples of abstract nouns are:
- greed
- hope
- ignorance
- justice
- knowledge
- life
Some nouns can be concrete or abstract depending on their definition, for example:
- The noun licence is a tangible written document or a plate attached to a vehicle, and therefore a concrete noun.
- The noun licence also means permission and is therefore an abstract noun.
- The noun football is an abstract noun as a Word for the game or the sport, a Word for the sum total of rules, teams, space, and equipment used to play the game. The game of football is a concept.
- The noun football is a concrete noun as a Word for the ball used to play the game.
A concrete noun is sometimes used as an abstract noun, for example:
- I have a nice bone to make some soup.
- The bone of contention is the cost of the plan.
- I walked down the road to the Smith's house.
- He took the first step on his road to ruin when he discovered the casino.
- Our sun is the closest star to the planet Earth.
- She was the star of the show.
