absence

B1 Topic:Places & Geography

US /ˈæb.s(ə)n̩s/ UK /ˈæb.s(ə)n̩s/ See IPA manual

Freq #5160

Meanings

1

noun
the fact of not being in a place where you are usually expected

Her absence from the meeting was noticed by everyone.
2

noun
the period of time when someone is away

Mark will be in charge during Jane's absence.
3

noun
the fact that something does not exist or is not available

There was a complete absence of any explanation.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

3 noun · the fact that something... lack

More missingness

Opposites

existence possession presence sufficiency

Word family

Forms absences

Derived forms absementnonabsenceomniabsencepseudoabsence

Related forms absent absentee absenteeismabsential

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

unauthorized absence
being away from a required place without permission

Adjective + noun

Proverbs (3)

See all

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Italic *ap Latin abder. Latin ab- Proto-Indo-European *h₁es- Proto-Indo-European *h₁ésmi Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- Proto-Indo-European *bʰúHt Proto-Italic *som~*ezom Latin sum Latin absum Latin absēns Proto-Indo-European *-yós 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 absen…

absence Middle English absentia Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Places & Geography

External links

# absence

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈæb.s(ə)n̩s/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈæb.s(ə)n̩s/
**Frequency rank:** 5160

## Meanings
1. the fact of not being in a place where you are usually expected
2. the period of time when someone is away
3. the fact that something does not exist or is not available

## Examples
- Her absence from the meeting was noticed by everyone.
- Mark will be in charge during Jane's absence.
- There was a complete absence of any explanation.

## Synonyms
- missingness

## Antonyms
- existence
- possession
- presence
- sufficiency

## Derived Forms
- absement
- nonabsence
- omniabsence
- pseudoabsence

## Related Forms
- absent
- absentee
- absenteeism
- absential

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: absence
- Root: absentia

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Italic *ap Latin abder. Latin ab- Proto-Indo-European *h₁es- Proto-Indo-European *h₁ésmi Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- Proto-Indo-European *bʰúHt Proto-Italic *som~*ezom Latin sum Latin absum Latin absēns Proto-Indo-European *-yós 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 absen…

## AI Etymology
Absence comes from Middle English absence, from Old French absence, ausence, from Latin absentia, from absēns (“absent”).

## Topics
- Places & Geography

markdown