truant
Meaning
a student who stays away from school without permission or explanation.
(of a student) being absent from school without permission.
Usage
the school has a strict policy for dealing with truants.
he was caught after being truant for three consecutive days.
she played truant and went to the cinema instead of school.
Etymology
the word "truant" has a journey that reflects a shift from a general social role to a specific scholastic offense. it entered middle english from the old french "truant," meaning a beggar or vagrant. this old french term is itself derived from a celtic, probably gaulish, source. the semantic evolution is clear: from a person who idly wanders the streets to a student who idly wanders away from their duty to attend school, capturing the core idea of idle absence from an expected place.
Analysis
the word is a simplex loanword. it entered english as a whole unit from old french, where it meant "beggar" or "vagabond." its ultimate origin is celtic, likely from a gaulish source.