absent-mindedness

English edit

Etymology edit

absent-minded +‎ -ness

Pronunciation edit

  • (US) IPA(key): /ˌæb.sn̩tˈmaɪn.dɪd.nəs/
  • (file)

Noun edit

absent-mindedness (countable and uncountable, plural absent-mindednesses)

  1. The characteristic or state of being easily distracted or preoccupied. [First attested in the late 19th century.][1]
    I don't mean to make mistakes; it's just absent-mindedness.
    For six years they had taken care of him and loved him—watched over his outgoings and his incomings and forgiven all his absent-mindednesses.

Synonyms edit

Related terms edit

Translations edit

Further reading edit

References edit

  1. ^ Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief, William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “absent-mindedness”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 9.