Dictionary

absence en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈæb.s(ə)n̩s/ (UK)
• /ˈæb.s(ə)n̩s/
• /ˈæb.sn̩ts/
• /ˈæb.s(ə)n̩ts/ (UK)
• /ˈæbsɒns/ in the medical sense
• /æbˈsɒns/ in the medical sense

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Italic *ap Latin abder. Latin ab- Proto-Indo-European *h₁es- Proto-Indo-European *h₁ésti Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- Proto-Indo-European *-t Proto-Indo-European *bʰúHt Proto-Italic *ezom~*som Archaic Latin 𐌄𐌔𐌏𐌌 (esom) Old Latin esum Latin sum Latin absum Latin absēns Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin absentiader. Old French absencebor. Middle English absence English absence From Middle English absence, from Old French absence, ausence, from Latin absentia, from absēns (“absent”), present active participle of absum (“to be away or absent”), from ab (“from, away from”) + sum (“to be”).

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) A state of being away or withdrawn from a place or from companionship
   • Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
2. (uncountable, usually) The period of someone being away.
   • Not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Philippians 2:12:
   • During Jane's absence, Mark will be taking charge.
3. (uncountable, usually) Failure to be present where one is expected, wanted, or needed; nonattendance; deficiency.
   • Then, in January, a creeping tsunami of train cancellations, triggered by major staff absences as a result of the aggressive transmissibility of Omicron, heaped further misery on rail users. 2022 January 12, Nigel Harris, “Comment: Unhappy start to 2022”, in RAIL, number 948, page 3:
   • Harry Kane was an absence in that first half. He touched the ball 11 times despite Spurs taking 62% of possession. 2018 September 15, Barney Ronay, “Finely tuned Liverpool are really getting into Jürgen Klopp’s groove”, in The Guardian:
4. (uncountable, usually) Lack; deficiency; non-existence.
   • The narrow streets that twist and turn through the compact heart of Dent are surfaced with cobbles which, in the absence of pavements, spread right across from doorstep to doorstep. 1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 150:
   • He had an absence of enthusiasm.
   • in the absence of higher and more authoritative sanctions the ordinances of foreign states, the opinions of eminent statesmen, and the writings of distinguished jurists, are regarded as of great consideration on questions not settled by conventional law 1826, James Kent, Commentaries on American Law:
5. (uncountable, usually) Inattention to things present; abstraction (of mind).
   • To conquer that abstraction which is called absence. c. 1824-1829, Walter Landor, Imaginary Conversations:
   • Reflecting on the little absences and distractions of mankind. 1711 June 8 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “MONDAY, May 29, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 77; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:
   • absence of mind
6. (uncountable, usually) Temporary loss or disruption of consciousness, with sudden onset and recovery, and common in epilepsy.
7. (uncountable, usually) Lack of contact between blades.

Forms

Antonyms

sufficiency (antonym(s) of “lack, deficiency, nonexistence”) · presence (antonym(s) of “state of being away”) · possession (antonym(s) of “lack, deficiency, nonexistence”) · existence (antonym(s) of “lack, deficiency, nonexistence”)

Deriveds

absence makes the heart grow fonder · absence of mind · absence makes the heart go yonder · leave of absence · pseudoabsence · conspicuous by one's absence · in the absence of · absence seizure · absement · absence without leave · omniabsence · nonabsence

Relateds

absenteeism · absentee · absential · absent

Synonyms

absentia · missingness · absentia

Translations (202)

nn mangel (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · nb fravær (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · tr yokluk (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · hu hiány (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · hu szórakozottság (inattention to things present) · ru рассе́янность (inattention to things present) · hu távollét (state of being away) · hi अनुपस्थिति (state of being away) · sh òdsustvo (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · ru нехва́тка (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · cy absenoldeb (state of being away) · gd neo-làthaireachd (state of being away) · ur غیر حاضری (state of being away) · it mancanza (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · sh о̀дсуство (state of being away) · nl verstrooidheid (inattention to things present) · fa غیاب (state of being away) · fr absence (state of being away) · nl afwezigheid (state of being away) · ja 不保持 (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · ro absență (state of being away) · es falta (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · gd easbhaidh (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · ca absència (inattention to things present) · pl brak (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · bg отсъ́ствие (inattention to things present) · ga neamhláithreacht (state of being away) · es ausencia (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · pt falta (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · gd dearmad-inntinne (inattention to things present) · arz غياب (state of being away) · ga neamhláithreacht (medical: temporary loss or disruption of consciousness) · mr गैरहजेरी (state of being away) · fi ero (state of being away) · ka არარსებობა (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · mr अनुपस्थिती (state of being away) · pl absencja (failure to be present where one is expected) · cy diffyg (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · ml അസാന്നിധ്യം (state of being away) · pt ausência (state of being away) · it invito aperto (fencing: lack of contact between blades) · ka არდასწრება (state of being away) · sv avsaknad (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · sl odsotnost (state of being away) · af afwesigheid (state of being away) · ar غِيَاب (state of being away) · fa غیبت (state of being away) · es absencia (disused) (state of being away) · mi kore (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · it assenza (state of being away) · kk жоқ болу (state of being away) · de Abwesenheit (inattention to things present) · da fravær (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · ja 欠席 (state of being away) · de Absenz (state of being away) · ang æfweardnes (state of being away) · sv bortovaro (state of being away) · sh òdsustvo (state of being away) · pl nieobecność (state of being away) · ga asláithreacht (state of being away) · hy բացակայություն (state of being away) · ko 결석 (state of being away) · ur غیر حاضری (failure to be present where one is expected) · nn fråvær (state of being away) · da fravær (state of being away) · ru отсу́тствие (state of being away) · kk болмау (state of being away) · az yoxluq (state of being away) · it assenza (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · da mangel (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · pl absencja (state of being away) · fr absence du fer (fencing: lack of contact between blades) · hu elkalandozás (inattention to things present) · sh одсу́тно̄ст (state of being away) · is fjarvera (state of being away) · mk отсуство (state of being away) · pt ausência (fencing: lack of contact between blades) · tr yokluk (state of being away) · sv frånvaro (state of being away) · it assenza (medical: temporary loss or disruption of consciousness) · nl gemis (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · mi korenga (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · ga uireasa (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · it difetto (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · el απουσία (state of being away) · enm absence (failure to be present where one is expected) · ja 欠落 (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · fi tiedottomuus (medical: temporary loss or disruption of consciousness) · ca absència (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · ja 無頓着 (inattention to things present) · mi hōneatanga (state of being away) · sv frånvaro (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · nb mangel (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · grc ἀπουσία (state of being away) · hu mulasztás (failure to be present where one is expected) · ur غائب (state of being away) · de Abwesenheit (state of being away) · nl tekort (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · ang wana (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · pt falta (failure to be present where one is expected) · cs nepřítomnost (inattention to things present) · lv prombūtne (state of being away) · tr gıyap (state of being away) · io absenteso (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · fi poissaolo (failure to be present where one is expected) · ia absentia (state of being away) · ka გამოუცხადებლობა (state of being away) · gu ગેરહાજરી (failure to be present where one is expected) · nl ontbreken (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · uk відсу́тність (state of being away) · cmn 不在 (state of being away) · cy absenoldeb (failure to be present where one is expected) · es absencia (disused) (inattention to things present) · ro neatenție (inattention to things present) · mr गैरहजेरी (failure to be present where one is expected) · fr absence (inattention to things present) · bg ли́пса (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · gl ausencia (state of being away) · sh odsútnōst (state of being away) · ru отсу́тствие (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · mr अभाव (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · id ketidakhadiran (state of being away) · ka უქონლობა (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · fr absence (fencing: lack of contact between blades) · uz yoʻqlik (state of being away) · es ausencia (inattention to things present) · io absenteso (state of being away) · da udeblivelse (failure to be present where one is expected) · nb fravær (state of being away) · sh о̀дсуство (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · nn fråvære (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · es ausencia de hierro (fencing: lack of contact between blades) · pt falta de atenção (inattention to things present) · gu ગેરહાજરી (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · la absentia (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · sl odsotnost (inattention to things present) · fi puuttuminen (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · ml അഭാവം (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · pt ausência de ferro (fencing: lack of contact between blades) · cs absence (state of being away) · nl afwezigheid (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · fr manque (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · sk neprítomnosť (state of being away) · eo foresto (state of being away) · kw estrik (state of being away) · ga ceal (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · nn fråvær (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · ko 부재 (state of being away) · pt ausência (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · es absencia (disused) (failure to be present where one is expected) · hu távolmaradás (state of being away) · nb åndsfravær (inattention to things present) · de Abwesenheit (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · pl absencja (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · pl nieobecność (failure to be present where one is expected) · de Absence (medical: temporary loss or disruption of consciousness) · he הֵעָדֵר (state of being away) · da åndsfravær (inattention to things present) · ru недоста́ток (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · cs absence (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · sv bortavaro (state of being away) · la absentia (state of being away) · enm absence (state of being away) · ast ausencia (state of being away) · cs nepřítomnost (state of being away) · ur غیر موجودگی (state of being away) · de Fehlen (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · nl verstek (state of being away) · sl odsotnost (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · fi poissaolo (state of being away) · fr absence (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · cs nepřítomnost (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · sq mungesë (state of being away) · es absencia (disused) (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · ru отлу́чка (state of being away) · es ausencia (fencing: lack of contact between blades) · ota نقصان (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · ca absència (state of being away) · pl nieobecność (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · da mangel (state of being away) · bg отсъ́ствие (state of being away) · da fravær (failure to be present where one is expected) · cmn 缺席 (state of being away) · it ferro libero (fencing: lack of contact between blades) · ja 不在 (state of being away) · fi hajamielisyys (inattention to things present) · hu hiányzás (failure to be present where one is expected) · ro absență (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · et puudumine (state of being away) · af gebrek (state of being away) · lt nebuvimas (state of being away) · it mancanza (failure to be present where one is expected) · fi poissaolo (inattention to things present) · sh mánjak (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · ka ნაკლებობა (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · es ausencia (state of being away) · fi puute (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · nn fråvære (state of being away) · be адсу́тнасць (state of being away) · sh ма́њак (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · sv brist (lack; deficiency; non-existence) · nn åndsfråvær (inattention to things present)