Absent
/ˈæb.sənt/noun
Not present in a place, at an occasion, or as part of something.
Did you know?The Latin root 'ab' means 'away from', giving 'absent' a chilling connection to the idea of being haunted or missing from existence.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
absens
“Present participle of 'abesse', meaning 'to be away'.”
Old French
Old French
absent
“Adopted from Latin, used to denote someone or something that is not present.”
Middle English
Middle English
absent
“Entered English usage, retaining the Latin meaning of 'not present'.”
Modern English
Modern English
absent
“Continued use, becoming a standard term for describing lack of presence.”