absent
UK[ˈæbsənt]US[ˈæbsənt]
adj
not present in a place, at an occasion, or as part of something
adj
showing that you are not thinking about what is happening because you are thinking about other things
v
to stay away or keep yourself away
Morpheme Breakdown
ab
sent
ab
away
sent
being
Etymology
The word 'absent' originates from the Latin compound 'absēns,' the present participle of 'abesse,' meaning "to be away." This Latin verb itself is formed from the prefix 'ab-' (away) and the infinitive 'esse' (to be). The core concept of physical or mental non-preservation is directly inherited from this literal Latin construction of "being away." It entered Middle English via Old French, retaining its fundamental sense of not being in a place, which later extended metaphorically to describe a lack of mental attention.
Analysis
Structure: ab (away) + sent (being)
'ab-' is a Latin prefix meaning "away, from." 'sent' is derived from the Latin verb 'esse,' meaning "to be," via its present participle form 'sēns,' 'sēnt-' (being).
Examples
Three members of the class were absent this morning.
He had an absent look on his face during the meeting.
He absented himself from the final vote.