Main Entry: ¹ab·sent

Pronunciation: \ˈab-sənt\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin absent-, absens, present participle of abesse to be absent, from ab- + esse to be — more at is

Date: 14th century

1 : not present or attending : missing
2 : not existing : lacking <danger in a situation where power is absent — M. H. Trytten>
3 : lost in thought : not attentive

synonyms see abstracted

— ab·sent·ly adverb