Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA person who is absent from his or her employment, school, post, duty, etc.
nounA person who is absent from his or her employment, school, post, duty, etc., Designating a person absent in a particular capacity, sometimes implying that they are difficult to contact, unresponsive, avoiding their responsibilities, etc.
Sentence Examples
You can vote by absentee ballot.
The absentee landlord requires a state to enforce his claims to the property.
The traveler sent in an absentee vote by mail.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The company reviewed the policy for each chronic ____ employee.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ voters had to mail in their ballots before the deadline.
Word Origin & History
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 *bʰúHt
Proto-Italic *ezom~*som
Old 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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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."
— 2024 March 17, Daniel Medina and Bob Ortega, “Emails show how a right-wing group steers GOP leaders on major policy issues”, in CNN:
"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!"
— 1840, Lord Byron, “Letter 374: to Mr. Moore (24 May 1820)”, in John Murray, editor, The Works of Lord Byron: With His Letters and Journals, and His Life, page 317:
"In recent primaries, for example, nearly 4% of absentees were rejected in Philadelphia; 8% in Kentucky; and 20% in parts of New York City."
— 2020 September 14, Richard H. Pildes, “The three words that can avert an election nightmare”, in CNN: