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ab·sent

(ăbsənt)

adj.

1. Not present; missing: absent friends; absent parents.

2. Not existent; lacking: a country in which morality is absent.

3. Exhibiting or feeling inattentiveness: an absent nod.

tr.v. (ăb-sĕnt) ab·sent·ed, ab·sent·ing, ab·sents

To keep (oneself) away: They absented themselves from the debate.

prep.

Without: "Absent a legislative fix, this is an invitation for years of litigation" (Brian E. O'Neill).

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin absēns, absent-, present participle of abesse, to be away : ab-, away; see AB-¹ + esse, to be; see es- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

absent·ly adv.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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