This week’s theme
Lesser-known counterparts

This week’s words
benignant
forgettery
endarken
penultimatum
presenteeism


This week’s comments
AWADmail 1101

Next week’s theme
Adjectives

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(prez-uhn-TEE-iz-uhm)

MEANING:

noun: The practice of being present at work when it’s unnecessary or counterproductive.

ETYMOLOGY:

Coined as a counterpart to absenteeism. From present, from Old French present, from Latin praesens, present participle of praeesse (to be present), from prae- (pre-) + esse (to be). Ultimately from the Indo-European root es- (to be), which also gave us is, yes, essence, and sin. Earliest documented use: 1931.

NOTES:

Presenteeism can manifest in many ways: working while sick, staying late, working on weekends, not taking earned vacations, and so on. Why do people engage in it? Reasons may include job insecurity, dependence on wages, or a sense of indispensability. Don’t confuse presenteeism with presentiment or presentism.

USAGE:

“There is a growing appreciation among businesses that working smarter, not harder, is more productive than presenteeism.”
Why Working Nine to Five Is No Longer a Way to make a Living; The Guardian (London, UK); Aug 22, 2018.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: