absence

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ap.sɑ̃s/^[1]

Forms

absence f (plural absences)^[1] Older apsence (1308), aucence (1318).^[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin absentia (“absence”), used by Cicero for a person's not being present.^[3][2][4][5] The Latin noun comes from absēns (“absent”), present participle of absum (“to be away”), from ab (“away from”) and sum (“to be”).^[1] The Romance cognates include Old Occitan absensa, Italian assenza and Spanish ausencia.^[3][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Les Sept Sages (early 13th century) have it for a person's not being present: quelque chose que la dame feist en l'absence de son seigneur “whatever the lady did in her lord's absence”.^[3][4]

Semantic evolution

In 1307 it was a legal term for failure to appear in court, a use found in Carolingian Latin; in 1322 it meant the lack of a thing, after Quintilian.^[3] En l'absence de (1393, en absence de, 1378) first meant “for want of”, then “while (someone) is away”.^[2] In classical and literary French it is the separation from a loved one, le moins clément de tous les maux for Verlaine.^[5][7]

Une absence, a momentary lapse of attention or consciousness (1680), probably comes from absence d'esprit (1671); in psychopathology it is a brief loss of consciousness (20th century).^[2][8] Briller par son absence is said ironically of a conspicuous absence.^[7]

Timeline

• early 13th century – A person's not being present, in Les Sept Sages.^[3]
• 1307 – Failure to appear in court.^[3]
• 1322 – The lack of a thing.^[3]
• 1378 – En absence de.^[2]
• 1671 – Absence d'esprit.^[2]
• 1680 – A lapse of attention.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. Absence, the fact of not being where one could or should be: briller par son absence.^[7][1]
2. Separation from a loved one; the time someone is away.^[7][5]
3. (law) The legal status of a person who has disappeared and not been heard of for a set time.^[7]
4. Lack, want, en l'absence de, in the absence of.^[3][2][5]
5. A momentary lapse of attention or memory, (medicine) a brief loss of consciousness.^[2][8]

Related words

• absent
• absenter
• absentéisme
• Latin absentia

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF