truancy
UK: ˈtruːənsi | US: ˈtruːənsi
n. the act of staying away from school without permission; absenteeism
n. neglect of duty or responsibility
truancy = tru<wander, stray> + ancy<noun suffix indicating state or quality>
- tru<wander, stray>: Derived from Old French truand (vagabond, beggar), ultimately from Gaulish trugant (wretched). The root implies aimless movement or avoidance.
- ancy<noun suffix>: A suffix forming nouns denoting a state or condition (e.g., "redundancy," "buoyancy").
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to 18th-century English, combining the idea of "wandering" (from truand) with the suffix -ancy to formalize the concept of unauthorized absence. Originally linked to vagrancy, it later specialized to describe school absenteeism, reflecting societal emphasis on education.
The school implemented strict policies to reduce truancy among students.
Chronic truancy often leads to academic failure.
His truancy from work resulted in a formal warning.
The court fined the parents for their child’s repeated truancy.
Studies show truancy correlates with higher dropout rates.