absentee
/ˌæb.sn̩ˈti/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.17 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Designating something whose owner, person responsible, etc. is absent.
noun
A landholder who lives in another district or country than the one in which his estate is situated.
British usage
noun
A voter who is not present at the time of voting; absentee voter.
Example Sentences
- "At roll-call there were three absentees."
- "absentee father; absentee landlord; absentee freeholder"
- "The manufacturer's promised new model was a notable absentee at the car show."
- "absentee ballot, absentee property"
- "In Wyoming, a GOP state senator forwarded an FGA draft bill to Secretary of State Chuck Gray that would prohibit sending out unsolicited absentee ballot request forms."
- "My trustees are going to lend Earl Blessington sixty thousand pounds (at six per cent.) on a Dublin mortgage. Only think of my becoming an Irish absentee!"
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Italic *ap Latin abder. Latin ab- Proto-Indo-European *h₁es- Proto-Indo-European *h₁ésti Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- Proto-Indo-European *-t Proto-Indo-European *bʰúHt Proto-Italic *ezom~*som Archaic Latin 𐌄𐌔𐌏𐌌 (esom) Old Latin esum Latin sum Latin absum Latin absēnsder. Old French ausentder. Middle French absentbor. ▲ Latin absēnsbor. Middle English absent English absent English -ee English absentee From absent + -ee.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˌæb.sn̩ˈti/
Usage
- British usage