Langimage
English

absentee

|ab/sen/tee|

B2

/ˌæb.sənˈtiː/

not present

Etymology
Etymology Information

'absentee' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'absentia,' where 'abs-' meant 'away' and 'entia' meant 'being.'

Historical Evolution

'absentia' transformed into the French word 'absenté,' and eventually became the modern English word 'absentee' through Middle English.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'being away,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a person who is not present.'

Meanings by Part of Speech

Noun 1

a person who is expected to be present at a place or event but is not.

The absentee was marked in the attendance sheet.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:40