1ab·sent 
/ˈæbsənt/ adjective
/ˈæbsənt/ adjective 1 : not present at a usual or expected place
▪ They were talking about absent friends. [=friends who were not there] ▪ an absent father who is not home most of the time ▪ The soldier was absent without leave. [=AWOL; absent without having permission to be absent] ▪ Most of the executives attended the meeting, but the company president was conspicuously absent. [=conspicuous by his absence; it was very noticeable that the company president was not there] — often + from ▪ She was absent from work/school on three occasions. 2 : not present at all : not existing
▪ a gene that occurs in mammals but that is absent in birds ▪ a landscape in which vegetation is almost entirely absent — sometimes + from ▪ Vegetation is almost entirely absent from the landscape. 3 always used before a noun : showing that a person is thinking about something else : showing a lack of attention to what is happening or being said
▪ He made an absent reply to her question as he continued to watch the TV. ▪ There was an absent [=distracted] look on her face.
▪ They were talking about absent friends. [=friends who were not there] ▪ an absent father who is not home most of the time ▪ The soldier was absent without leave. [=AWOL; absent without having permission to be absent] ▪ Most of the executives attended the meeting, but the company president was conspicuously absent. [=conspicuous by his absence; it was very noticeable that the company president was not there] — often + from ▪ She was absent from work/school on three occasions.
▪ a gene that occurs in mammals but that is absent in birds ▪ a landscape in which vegetation is almost entirely absent — sometimes + from ▪ Vegetation is almost entirely absent from the landscape.
▪ He made an absent reply to her question as he continued to watch the TV. ▪ There was an absent [=distracted] look on her face.
— ab·sent·ly adverb
▪ He replied absently to her question.
▪ He replied absently to her question.
