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

Michael Watson, the Republican secretary of state, said on social media Monday afternoon that there were slightly more than 2,500 absentee mail-in ballots still out. — Gregory S. Schneider The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 11 Nov. 2026

Why Lawyers Are Already Involved Attorneys for Hyde-Smith asked county officials Thursday in a letter to preserve records and keep affidavit ballots apart from regular and absentee votes. — Sam Stevenson, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026

Elections officials from more than three-quarters of Indiana’s 92 counties are expected to include all or nearly all the results of absentee and early voting in their first vote update of the night. — Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026

Nearly 1 million Minnesotans cast absentee or mail ballots before Election Day, the most ever before an election in a non-presidential year, the secretary of state's office said. — Beret Leone, CBS News, 3 Nov. 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