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absolute

ab·so·lute

UK/ˈæb.səˌluːt/ US/ˈæb.səˌlut/ common formal

adjective

1.

perfect or complete or pure

  • “absolute loyalty”
  • “absolute silence”
  • “absolute truth”
  • “absolute alcohol”
2.

complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers

  • “absolute freedom”
  • “an absolute dimwit”
  • “a downright lie”
  • “out-and-out mayhem”
  • “an out-and-out lie”
  • “a rank outsider”
  • “many right-down vices”
  • “got the job through sheer persistence”
  • “sheer stupidity”
3.

not limited by law

  • “an absolute monarch”
Similar
4.

expressing finality with no implication of possible change

  • “an absolute (or unequivocal) quarantee to respect the nation”
  • “;”
Synonyms
5.

without conditions or limitations

  • “a total ban”
6.

not capable of being violated or infringed

  • “infrangible human rights”

noun

1.

something that is conceived to be absolute; something that does not depends on anything else and is beyond human control

  • “no mortal being can influence the absolute”

Origin

First attested around 1380. From Middle English absolut, from Middle French absolut, from Latin absolūtus (“unconditional; unfettered; completed”), perfect passive participle of absolvō (“loosen, set free, complete”), from ab (“away”) + solvo (“to loose”). Influenced in part by Old French absolu. Compare absolve.

Phrases

  • ablative absolute
  • absolute address
  • absolute advantage
  • absolute alcohol
  • absolute altimeter
  • absolute altitude
  • absolute assembler
  • absolute blocking
  • dative absolute
  • decree absolute
  • degree absolute
  • locative absolute

Related words

Broader terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.