absent

[adj., prep. ab-suh nt; v. ab-sent, ab-suh nt] /adj., prep. ˈæb sənt; v. æbˈsɛnt, ˈæb sənt/
adjective
1.
not in a certain place at a given time; away, missing (opposed to present):
absent from class.
2.
lacking; nonexistent:
Revenge is absent from his mind.
3.
not attentive; preoccupied; absent-minded:
an absent look on his face.
verb (used with object)
4.
to take or keep (oneself) away:
to absent oneself from a meeting.
preposition
5.
in the absence of; without:
Absent some catastrophe, stock-market prices should soon improve.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English < Latin absent- (stem of absēns, present participle of abesse to be away (ab- ab- + -s- be (see is) + -ent- -ent))
Related forms
absentation
[ab-suh n-tey-shuh n] /ˌæb sənˈteɪ ʃən/ (Show IPA), noun
absenter, noun
absentness, noun
nonabsentation, noun
Synonyms
1. out, off.
Antonyms
1. present.
Examples from the web for absent
  • absent menstruation means no menstrual flow, or period.
  • If the workplace experience is absent from students' lives, long hours are not.
  • Interestingly, however, petals-typical of many flowering plants-are absent.
  • To say that the peer group is more important than parental input points to the absent parent.
  • May your wines be good, your legend lasting, and all alligators absent.
  • But the extra bulk allows for some attractive features absent in other tablets.
  • But throughout the developing world teachers on the public payroll are often absent from school.
  • If specific to a disease, they are likely to be found in high levels in those with the condition, yet be absent in healthy people.
  • Others had free access to areas controlled by absent landowners.
  • Barking is common in domesticated dogs, but infrequent if not downright absent in their wild counterparts.
British Dictionary definitions for absent

absent

adjective (ˈæbsənt)
1.
away or not present
2.
lacking; missing
3.
inattentive; absent-minded
verb (æbˈsɛnt)
4.
(transitive) to remove (oneself) or keep away
Derived Forms
absenter, noun
Word Origin
C14: from Latin absent-, stem of absēns, present participle of abesse to be away
Word Origin and History for absent
adj.

late 14c., from Middle French absent (Old French ausent), from Latin absentem (nominative absens), present participle of abesse "be away from, be absent" (see absence). Related: Absently; absentness.

v.

"to keep away" (from), c.1400, from Middle French absenter, from Late Latin absentare "cause to be away," from Latin absentem (see absent (adj.)). Related: Absented; absenting.

prep.

"in the absence of," 1944, principally from U.S. legal use, from absent (v.).