Absent vs Absence
Absent is a word in English language that is used to refer to something or someone who is not present or missing. Absence is another word that is the state of being absent. This means that if someone is not present, he is absent and his absence is noted. However, despite being clearly different, there are many learners of English language who find it difficult to choose the right word between absent and absence when speaking and writing English. This article attempts to make it clear the difference between absent and absence by providing clear cut examples.
Absent
Absent is a word that is an antonym of present. So, if someone is not present or is missing, he is said to be absent. Absent is a word that is also used to refer to a quality or feature that may be lacking or missing in a gadget or even a person. Absent is also used for someone in the form of absent mindedness when he may be present in a place like a class but may be inattentive. The origin of the word absent dates back to 1350-1400 AD from the Latin word that means to be away or not being present. Take a look at the following examples.
• Ed was absent from the school because of fever
• Ron absented himself from the choir
• Helen had an absent look at her face
• This is a trait or gene present in mammals but absent in birds
Absence
Absence can be both the state of being away as well as the duration when one is not present. Absence also indicates quality or trait lacking in a person. Absence is also a state of mind when a person is described as absent minded with the person being not attentive. When we talk about the time period, absence is the time when someone or something is not present. Take a look at the following examples.
• His absence was noted by most people
• John was conspicuous by his absence
• There was the absence of leadership qualities in the newly appointed captain of the team
What is the difference between Absent and Absence?
• Absent is the opposite of present, and it is an adjective.
• Absence is the state of being absent.
• While absent is an adjective, absence is a noun.