absenteeism
ab-suhn-TEE-iz-um
/ˌæb.sənˈtiː.ɪz.əm/
The practice of regularly staying away from work or school without good reason; chronic unplanned absence.
Implies a habitual pattern of unexcused absence, reflecting underlying morale or health issues rather than planned vacation.
The story behind the word. Originates from Latin 'absens' (away). The specific suffix '-ism' was attached in Ireland during the early 19th century to criticize 'absentee landlords' who lived in England while collecting rent from Irish tenant farmers.
Word relationships
- truancy: Truancy applies primarily to unauthorized absences from school, whereas absenteeism applies to professional workplaces.
- non-attendance: Non-attendance is a neutral descriptor without the implication of habitual neglect.
- attendance: The act of being physically present at a designated venue.
- punctuality: The quality of arriving consistently on time.
Commonly confused with
- presenteeism: Absenteeism is staying away from work, whereas presenteeism is attending work while sick or unproductive.
Word family
- absentee (noun): A person who is absent from work, school, or a duty.
- absent (adjective): Not present in a place.
Collocations
- chronic absenteeism
- absenteeism rate
- reduce absenteeism
- workplace absenteeism
Idioms & expressions
- play hooky
- skiving off
Example sentences
- "Chronic absenteeism forced the management team to conduct anonymous surveys to identify widespread employee dissatisfaction." HR Analytics
- "High rates of absenteeism in healthcare settings directly correlate with increased nurse burnout and reduced patient care standards." Academic Literature
Memory hook
ABSENT + EE + ISM = the habit of being an absent employee. Habitual unexcused missing of work.
When not to use
Do not use for approved medical leave or pre-scheduled annual vacation days.
Fun facts
- In organizational studies, Monday and Friday are statistically responsible for over 60% of unscheduled absenteeism globally.
Related words
Explore more words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.