absentee

noun

ab·​sen·​tee ˌab-sən-ˈtē 

: one that is absent: such as

a

: a proprietor of an estate or business who lives far away from it and rarely visits it

b

: one missing from work or school

absentee adjective

Examples of absentee in a Sentence

There were 10 sick absentees that day.

Recent Examples on the Web

But the movie begins in Pittsburgh, 1999, when young latchkey kid Gemma (Charli Penton) arrives home from school to her emotional absentee mother Ingrid (Laura Gordon). — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 19 Aug. 2026

Other questions involved the logistics of absentee voting, early in-person voting and Election Day polling place voting - all of which are options under Michigan law. — Julia Avant, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026

Ahead of the comedy’s second season, FX brought on Danny DeVito to play Dennis and Dee’s impish, absentee businessman father, Frank, in hopes that his presence would bring in more viewers. — Paula Mejía, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026

Results are delayed in Milwaukee County, due to a human error in retrieving absentee results, and Green County, where a server error is affecting reporting. — Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Anglo-French abscenté "person holding property in Ireland but illegally resident in England," from past participle of absenter "to be absent," verbal derivative of absent absent entry 1

First Known Use

1537, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing absentee

• absentee ballot
• absentee landlord

Rhymes for absentee

• agree
• allee
• banshee
• beastly
• bibi
• bowsprit
• carefree
• cerci
• chablis
• cowpea
• crappie
• crappy

Kids Definition

absentee

noun

ab·​sen·​tee ˌab-sən-ˈtē 

: a person who is absent

absentee adjective

Legal Definition

absentee

noun

ab·​sen·​tee ˌab-sən-ˈtē 

: one that is absent: as

a

: a proprietor who lives away from his or her business or estate

b

: a potential party to a legal action who is not present or does not have a representative present at a proceeding

absentee adjective