absence

See also: Absence

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English absence, from Old French absence, ausence, from Latin absentia, from absēns (“absent”), present active participle of absum (“I am away or absent”), from ab (“from, away from”) + sum (“I am”).

Pronunciation

  • (General American)
    • IPA(key): /ˈæb.sn̩s/, /ˈæb.sn̩ts/
    • (in the medical sense) IPA(key): /ˈæbsɑns/, /æbˈsɑns/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Noun

absence (usually uncountable, plural absences)

  1. A state of being away or withdrawn from a place or from companionship; the period of being away. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.][1]
    Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Phillipians 2:12
      Not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence.
  2. Failure to be present where one is expected, wanted, or needed; nonattendance; deficiency. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.][1]
  3. Lack; deficiency; nonexistence. [First attested around 1350 to 1470.][1]
    He had an absence of enthusiasm.
    • (Can we date this quote?) - Kent
      In the absence of conventional law.
  4. Inattention to things present; abstraction (of mind). [First attested in the early 18th century.][1]
    absence of mind
  5. (medicine) Temporary loss or disruption of consciousness, with sudden onset and recovery, and common in epilepsy. [First attested in the mid 20th century.][1]
  6. (fencing) Lack of contact between blades.

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Lesley Brown (editor), The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition (Oxford University Press, 2003 [1933], →ISBN), page 8

Anagrams

Czech

Etymology

From French absence, from Latin absentia, from absēns (“absent”), present active participle of absum (“I am away or absent”), from ab (“of, by, from”) + sum (“I am”)

Noun

absence f

  1. absence

Declension

Further reading

  • absence in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
  • absence in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989

Danish

Etymology

From French absence.

Noun

absence c (singular definite absencen, plural indefinite absencer)

  1. (medicine) petit mal

Inflection

Synonyms

References

French

Etymology

From Latin absentia, from absēns (“absent”), present active participle of absum (“I am away or absent”), from ab (“of, by, from”) + sum (“I am”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ap.sɑ̃s/
  • audio(file)

Noun

absence f (plural absences)

  1. absence (state of being absent or withdrawn)

Further reading

Middle English

Etymology

From Old French absent, from Latin absentia, from absēns (“absent”), present active participle of absum (“I am away or absent”), from ab (“of, by, from”) + sum (“I am”).

Noun

absence (plural absences)

  1. absence

References

  • Stratmann, Francis Henry; Henry Bradley (First published 1891) A Dictionary of Middle English‎, London: Oxford University Press, published 1954, page 3
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