absentee
Intermediate (B1)
IPA: /ˌæbˈsɛn.ti/
KK: /æb'sɛnˌti/
adjective
Definition
Describing someone or something that is not present or not in a particular place.
Example
The absentee landlord rarely visits the property.
Conversation
Did you hear about the absentee landlord in our building?
Yeah, it’s frustrating that they never fix anything around here.
I know, right? It’s like they don’t care about the tenants at all.
Exactly! We should probably bring it up at the next meeting.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
missing
away
absent
Antonyms
present
attending
available
noun
Definition
A person who is not present in a place where they are expected to be, such as at work or school.
Example
The teacher marked the absentee on the attendance sheet.
Conversation
Did you hear about Tom? He’s been an absentee at work lately.
Yeah, I noticed he wasn’t in the last few meetings.
I hope everything is okay with him, though.
Root Explanation
Absentee → It is formed from "ab-" (meaning away) and "esse" (meaning to be). The word describes someone who is away or not present, hence an absentee.
Memory Tip
Think of someone who is 'away' ('ab-') and not 'being' ('esse') where they are expected to be — that's what absentee means.
Visually Confused Words
No commonly confused words.