What does "absolute" mean?

1. (total or complete) total and complete in every way. 2. (not limited) having total power or no limits. 3. (certain or definite) completely sure and not in doubt. 4. (independent or not relative) measured by itself, not compared to other things. 5. (a perfect truth) something that is always true or perfect and does not change. 6. (perfume extract) a very strong, pure oil taken from flowers for making perfume.

absolute

US //ˈæbsəˌɫut// UK //ˈæbsəlˌuːt// ab·so·lute

1 total or complete (adj.)
B1 Intermediate

total and complete in every way.

complete, utter, or unmitigated; used to emphasize the degree of a quality.

Example

The party was an absolute disaster because the food never arrived.

Example

The project was an absolute failure, not due to a lack of funding, but because of a fundamental breakdown in communication between departments.
- partial
- limited
2 not limited (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

having total power or no limits.

free from restrictions, limitations, or conditions; often used in political or legal contexts regarding power.

Example

In the past, some kings had absolute power over their people.

Example

The dictator exercised absolute authority over the nation, suppressing any form of dissent through a strictly controlled state media.
- conditional
- limited

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3 certain or definite (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

completely sure and not in doubt.

positive, certain, and unquestionable; not subject to doubt or variation.

Example

Do you have absolute proof that he took the money?

Example

The scientist provided absolute evidence that the chemical reaction occurred only under specific atmospheric conditions, silencing his critics.
- uncertain
- doubtful
4 independent or not relative (adj.)
C1 Advanced Technical Science

measured by itself, not compared to other things.

independent of arbitrary units, standards, or relations to other things; not comparative.

Example

Scientists measure absolute zero as the lowest possible temperature.

Example

The researcher argued that the data must be viewed in absolute terms rather than relative percentages to understand the true scale of the change.
- intrinsic
- fundamental
- relative
- comparative
5 a perfect truth (n.)
C1 Advanced Academic Formal Philosophy

something that is always true or perfect and does not change.

a principle or value that is universally valid and not dependent on circumstances.

Example

Some people believe that there are no moral absolutes in life.

Example

The philosopher explored the tension between cultural relativism and the existence of moral absolutes that might govern human behavior across all societies.
6 perfume extract (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Chemistry

a very strong, pure oil taken from flowers for making perfume.

a highly concentrated, alcohol-soluble liquid extract obtained from a concrete or fat, used as a base for high-quality perfumes.

Example

The perfume is expensive because it contains pure jasmine absolute.

Example

The perfumer selected a rare rose absolute, prized for its depth and complexity, to serve as the heart of the new fragrance line.
- extract
- essence

Origin

First attested around 1380, the word entered Middle English as absolut. Its lineage traces back through Middle French absolut to the Latin absolūtus, the perfect passive participle of absolvō. The Latin components are ab-, meaning away, and solvō, meaning to loose.

The word describes a state of being loosened, set free, or completed. This Latin scent of being unfettered or unconditional was further refined by the influence of the Old French absolu. The term shares its developmental history with absolve, reflecting a common origin in the act of unbinding.

Idioms2 entries