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