Etymology
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absenteeism (n.)

"practice or habit of being absent," 1822, from absentee + -ism; originally in reference to landlords, especially in Ireland, who lived at a distance from their estates (the earlier word was absenteeship (1778) and Johnson's dictionary has absentee in the landlord sense). In reference to pupils or workers from 1922.

updated on August 12, 2018

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