Absent Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary (original) (raw)

Britannica Dictionary definition of ABSENT

1

:

not present at a usual or expected place

• They were talking about absent friends. [=friends who were not there]
• an absent father who is not home most of the time
• The soldier was absent without leave. [=AWOL; absent without having permission to be absent]
• Most of the executives attended the meeting, but the company president was conspicuously absent. [=conspicuous by his absence; it was very noticeable that the company president was not there]

— often + from

• She was absent from work/school on three occasions.

2

:

not present at all

:

not existing

• a gene that occurs in mammals but that is absent in birds
• a landscape in which vegetation is almost entirely absent

— sometimes + from

• Vegetation is almost entirely absent from the landscape.

3

always used before a noun

:

showing that a person is thinking about something else

:

showing a lack of attention to what is happening or being said

• He made an absent reply to her question as he continued to watch the TV.

• There was an absent [=_distracted_] look on her face.

• He replied absently to her question.

Britannica Dictionary definition of ABSENT

:

to go or stay away from something

• He absented himself from the meeting.

Britannica Dictionary definition of ABSENT

US, formal

:

in the absence of (something)

:

without

• Absent any objections, the plan will proceed.
• Absent such an agreement we can go no further.