Meaning & use

absentia

noun·Advanced

Absence, used almost exclusively in the fixed phrase 'in absentia,' meaning while a person is not present.

See it in a sentence

The court convicted the fugitive in absentia after he fled the country.

She was awarded the honorary degree in absentia because illness kept her from attending.

A note on using this word

Rarely used outside the phrase 'in absentia,' most often in legal or academic contexts.

Words with a similar meaning

This term is best learned through its definition and examples.

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “absentia”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.