abscondee

[ ab-skon-dee, ab- ]

noun

1. a person who absconds; absconder.

Word History and Origins

Origin of abscondee¹

abscond + -ee

More About Abscondee

What does abscondee mean?

An abscondee is a person who absconds—leaves secretly and suddenly, especially to avoid being caught, punished, or put on trial. The word abconder means the same thing.

The word typically implies that the person has left because they have done something wrong and want to avoid any consequences. Abscondees are often criminals who abscond to get away with their crimes. A more informal term for abscond is make one’s getaway.

In a legal context, abscondee can be used to refer to a person who has left to avoid prosecution or legal proceedings that have already begun, or to someone who has violated their parole.

Abscondee is sometimes used to liken someone to a criminal, perhaps in a humorous way, as in The furry little abscondee just ran off with my cheeseburger.

Example: The abscondees left with the loot before the authorities arrived at the scene.

Where does abscondee come from?

The word abscondee has been used since at least the 1800s. Its base word, abscond, comes from the Latin verb abscondere, meaning “to hide or stow away.” In abscondee, the suffix -ee is used to form a noun referring to a person who has performed the action of its base verb—a person who has absconded.

After an abscondee absconds, they usually go into hiding. In fact, the noun abscondence means hiding, especially to avoid the consequences of one’s wrongdoing. Sometimes, abscond means much the same thing as escape, especially when it’s used in the context of a prisoner absconding from a prison or jail. Abscondee can sometimes mean the same thing as escapee.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to abscondee?

• abscond (verb)
• abscondee (noun)
• abscondence (noun)

What are some synonyms for abscondee?

• absconder
• escapee

What are some words that share a root or word element with abscondee? 

 

• abscondence

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing abscondee?

 

• criminal
• crime
• parole
• getaway
• escape
• with
• steal
• stolen
• court
• trial
• prison

 

How is abscondee used in real life?

Abscondee is typically used to refer to criminals or people who are likened to criminals. However, it’s not very commonly used.

Suspect in the standoff was a parole abscondee from Rapid City, police say.

— ArgusLeader911 (@Argus911) September 25, 2017

In the news at 7am, Lincolnshire's North Sea Camp Prison had the second highest number of abscondees in the Country last year.

— BBC Radio Lincolnshire (@BBCRadioLincs) October 30, 2012

Woman arrested as hunt continues for latest Sheppey abscondees http://t.co/WP4Iq9hL35

— Kent News (@KOSMedia) July 3, 2014

 

Try using abscondee!

Is abscondee used correctly in the following sentence?

The abscondee was known as a flight risk and, sure enough, he skipped town right before the trial was set to begin.