Broadly speaking, pure mathematics is mathematics that studies entirely abstract concepts. From the eighteenth century onwards, this was a recognized category of mathematical activity, sometimes characterized as speculative mathematics, and at variance with the trend towards meeting the needs of navigation, astronomy, physics, economics, engineeri...
Mathematics for the sake of its internal beauty or logical strength. Compare with applied mathematics.
[n] - the branches of mathematics that study and develop the principles of mathematics for their own sake rather than for their immediate usefulness
noun the branches of mathematics that study and develop the principles of mathematics for their own sake rather than for their immediate usefulness