Specific, concrete nouns

Unlike general nouns, which refer to broad classes of things, specific nouns point to definite and particular items. Film, for example, names a general class, fantasy film names a narrower class, and The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising is more specific still.

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, ordinarily prefer specific, concrete words.

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