Unlike general nouns, which refer to broad classes of things, specific nouns point to particular items. Film, for example, names a general class, fantasy film names a narrower class, and The Golden Compass is more specific still. Other examples: team, football team, Denver Broncos; music, symphony, Beethoven’s Ninth.

Unlike abstract nouns, which refer to qualities and ideas (justice, beauty, realism, dignity), concrete nouns point to immediate, often sensory experience and to physical objects (steeple, asphalt, lilac, stone, garlic).

Specific, concrete nouns express meaning more vividly than general or abstract ones. Although general and abstract language is sometimes necessary to convey your meaning, use specific, concrete words whenever possible.

Nouns such as thing, area, aspect, factor, and individual are especially dull and imprecise.