A generalization is a form of abstraction whereby common properties of
specific instances are formulated as general concepts or claims.
Generalizations posit the existence of a domain or set of elements, as well as
one or more common characteristics shared by those elements (thus creating a
conceptual model). As such, they are the essential basis of all valid
deductive inferences (particularly in logic, mathematics and science), where
the process of verification is necessary to determine whether a generalization
holds true for any given situation.
Generalization can also be used to refer to the process of identifying the
parts of a whole, as belonging to the whole.