Definitions for Absence
ˈæb sənsab·sence

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:1.3 / 6 votes

1. absencenoun

   the state of being absent

   "he was surprised by the absence of any explanation"

2. absencenoun

   failure to be present

3. absencenoun

   the time interval during which something or somebody is away

   "he visited during my absence"

4. absence, absence seizurenoun

   the occurrence of an abrupt, transient loss or impairment of consciousness (which is not subsequently remembered), sometimes with light twitching, fluttering eyelids, etc.; common in petit mal epilepsy

WiktionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. absencenoun

   A state of being absent or withdrawn from a place or from companionship.

2. absencenoun

   Failure to be present where one is expected, wanted, or needed; nonattendence; deficiency.

3. absencenoun

   Inattention to things present; abstraction (of mind)

   absence of mind.

4. absencenoun

   Temporary lossor disruption of consciousness, with sudden onset and recovery, and common in epilepsy.

5. absencenoun

   Lack of contact between blades.

6. Etymology: From absent, from absentia, from absens, present active participle of absum, from ab + sum.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Absencenoun

   1. The state of being absent, opposed to presence.

   Sir, ’tis fit
   You have strong party to defend yourself
   By calmness, or by absence: all’s in danger. William Shakespeare, Coriol.

   His friends beheld, and pity’d him in vain,
   For what advice can ease a lover’s pain?
   Absence, the best expedient they could find,
   Might save the fortune, if not cure the mind. John Dryden, Fab.

   2. Want of appearance, in the legal sense.

   Absence is of a fourfold kind or species. The first is a necessary absence, as in banished persons; this is entirely necessary. A second, necessary and voluntary; as, upon the account of the commonwealth, or in the service of the church. The third kind the civilians call a probable absence; as, that of students on the score of study. And the fourth, an absence entirely voluntary; as, on the account of trade, merchandise, and the like. Some add a fifth kind of absence, which is committed cum dolo & culpâ, by a man’s non-appearance on a citation; as, in a contumacious person, who, in hatred to his contumacy, is, by the law, in some respects, reputed as a person present. John Ayliffe, Parergon Juris Canonici.

   You have given no dissertation upon the absence of lovers, nor laid down any methods how they should support themselves under those separations. Joseph Addison, Spectator, №. 241.

   3. Inattention, heedlessness, neglect of the present object.

   I continued my walk, reflecting on the little absences and distractions of mankind. Joseph Addison, Spectator, №. 77.

   4. It is used with the particle from.

   His absence from his mother oft he’ll mourn,
   And, with his eyes, look wishes to return. John Dryden, Juv. Sat. ii.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Absencenoun

   a state of being absent or withdrawn from a place or from companionship; -- opposed to presence

2. Absencenoun

   want; destitution; withdrawal

3. Absencenoun

   inattention to things present; abstraction (of mind); as, absence of mind

4. Etymology: [F., fr. L. absentia. See Absent.]

Dictionary of Nautical TermsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. absence

   A permission occasionally obtained, on urgent affairs, by officers to quit their duties.

Matched Categories

1. • Lack
   • Nonattendance
   • Seizure
   • Time Interval

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Absence' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1745

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Absence' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4745

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Absence' in Nouns Frequency: #779

How to pronounce Absence?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say Absence in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Absence in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Absence in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of Absence in a Sentence

1. Jhin, League of Legends:

   The essence of a thing is found only in its absence.

2. George Eliot:

   It is, I fear, but a vain show of fulfilling the heathen precept, Know thyself, and too often leads to a self-estimate which will subsist in the absence of that fruit by which alone the quality of the tree is made evident.

3. A. W. Tozer:

   Christianity takes for granted the absence of any self-help and offers a power which is nothing less than the power of God.

4. Derek Gatherer:

   Unlike with bird flu and foot-and-mouth, there is unlikely to be any necessity for a cull given the absence of direct transmission from cow to cow or cow to human.

5. Chaand Nagpaul:

   This is not normal, and therefore, the government does need to recognize this is clearly an NHS under extreme pressure, and the living reality sadly for thousands of patients is that they’re suffering the consequences of such pressures and also staff absence.

Popularity rank by frequency of use