Word of the Day - 12/26/25
truant
/'truənt/(n.): someone who shirks duty
The truant employee was reprimanded for consistently shirking his duties during work hours.
(n.): one who is absent from school without permission
The school counselor called the parents of the truant student who had been absent for three consecutive days without permission.
(adj.): absent without permission
The truant soldiers faced severe disciplinary action for being absent from their post without authorization.
Word Origin
The word 'truant' originated in the late 13th century from the Old French word 'truant', which meant "beggar, vagabond, idler," or originally "wretch, rogue." The exact etymology before Old French is debated, with theories pointing to a Germanic source (such as Frankish '*thrūtig*' meaning "lazy" or Old High German 'thrūt' meaning "lazy, sluggard") or a Gaulish source ('*trougant-*' meaning "wretched"). The specific sense of "one who stays away from school without permission" emerged in the 16th century. There are no distinct parts of the word 'truant' that can be broken down from its Old French form.