Hooky

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈhʊki/

Definitions

1. The act of staying away from school or work without permission or valid excuse
2. An instance of intentionally skipping school or work without justification or approval occurs when an individual avoids attendance for personal leisure
3. A deliberate absence from one's educational or professional responsibilities often for enjoyment rather than necessity can be described as engaging in such behavior

Etymology: Many people would guess that "hooky" comes from the ordinary word "hook", but the more likely source is Dutch. "Hoekje" meant "nook" or "corner", and "hoekje spelen" was once a way to say "to play hide-and-seek". A truant hiding away from school fits that sense of tucking yourself into a corner, which is probably how the Dutch term came to mean skipping school. The word is first recorded in New York City in 1848. The explanation based on "hook" plus the suffix "-y" is the obvious surface reading, but the Dutch link is considered the more likely origin.

Synonyms: truant, skipping, playing hooky, absent, ditching

Antonyms: attendance, presence, participation, involvement, engagement