absence

What it means

1. uncountableusuallyA state of being away or withdrawn from a place or from companionship

   Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

   Synonyms: absentia

2. uncountableusuallyThe period of someone being away.First known use First attested around 1350 to 1470.

   During Jane's absence, Mark will be taking charge.

   1 more example

   Not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Philippians 2:12

   Synonyms: absentia

3. uncountableusuallyFailure to be present where one is expected, wanted, or needed; nonattendance; deficiency.First known use First attested around 1350 to 1470.

   Harry Kane was an absence in that first half. He touched the ball 11 times despite Spurs taking 62% of possession.

   2018 September 15, Barney Ronay, “Finely tuned Liverpool are really getting into Jürgen Klopp’s groove”, in The Guardian

   1 more example

   Then, in January, a creeping tsunami of train cancellations, triggered by major staff absences as a result of the aggressive transmissibility of Omicron, heaped further misery on rail users.

   2022 January 12, Nigel Harris, “Comment: Unhappy start to 2022”, in RAIL, number 948, page 3

In a sentence

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Where it comes from

1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ep
2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂epó
3. Proto-Italic*ap
4. Latinab
5. Latinab-
6. Proto-Indo-European*h₁es-
7. Proto-Indo-European*h₁ésti
8. Proto-Indo-European*bʰuH-
9. Proto-Indo-European*bʰúHt
10. Proto-Italic*ezom~*som
11. Old Latinesum
12. Latinsum
13. Latinabsum
14. Latinabsēns
15. Latinabsentia
16. Old Frenchabsence
17. Middle Englishabsence
18. Englishabsence

From Middle English absence, from Old French absence, ausence, from Latin absentia, from absēns (“absent”), present active participle of absum (“to be away or absent”), from ab (“from, away from”) + sum (“to be”).

First known use: First attested around 1350 to 1470.