# absence

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈæb.s(ə)n̩s/ · frequency rank #3,996

## Definitions
1. A state of being away or withdrawn from a place or from companionship
2. The period of someone being away.
3. Failure to be present where one is expected, wanted, or needed; nonattendance; deficiency.
4. Lack; deficiency; non-existence.
5. Inattention to things present; abstraction (of mind).
6. Temporary loss or disruption of consciousness, with sudden onset and recovery, and common in epilepsy.
7. Lack of contact between blades.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó
Proto-Italic *ap
Latin abder.
Latin ab-
Proto-Indo-European *h₁es-
Proto-Indo-European *h₁ésmi
Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH-
Proto-Indo-European *bʰúHt
Proto-Italic *som~*ezom
Latin sum
Latin absum
Latin absēns
Proto-Indo-European *-yós
Proto-Italic *-ios
Old Latin -ios
Latin -ius
Latin -ia
Latin absentiader.
Old French absencebor.
Middle English absence
English absence
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”).

## Easily confused with
- **absent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absence-vs-absent)
- **absentee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absence-vs-absentee)
- **ambience** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/absence-vs-ambience)

## Common misspellings (11)
`abbsence`, `abesnce`, `absance`, `absecne`, `absencce`, `absenec`, `absennce`, `absnece`, `abssence`, `asbence`, `basence`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/absence