Reading Theme:
Attendance: Definition, Usage & Key Examples (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：being present (attendance)
attendance
/əˈtendəns/
n.
The action of being present at a place, like going to school or a meeting.
being present
➕
being present
n.
This refers to the act or fact of being present at a specific location, such as a class, meeting, or event. It describes the action of showing up.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
The word 'attendance' comes from the verb 'attend' + the noun-forming suffix '-ance'. 'Attend' itself derives from Latin 'attendere', meaning 'to stretch toward' or 'give heed to'.
💡 Mnemonic
Think of a teacher saying, "At TEN DANCE, I need to know who is present." This links the sound of the word (ten-dance) to the core idea of checking who is there.
📖 Example
Your daily attendance at class is very important for your learning progress.
Your daily presence in class is crucial for your academic advancement.
🔗 Collocations
take attendance – to record who is present
daily attendance – presence recorded every day
compulsory attendance – presence that is required
🔄 Synonyms
presence (n.) – The state of being in a particular place.
appearance (n.) – The act of arriving or being present at an event.
🚫 Antonyms
absence (n.) – The state of not being present.
🌱 Derivatives
📖 Cultural Story
The word 'attendance' originates from Old French 'atendance', meaning 'attention, wait, expectation, hope'. Its core sense evolved from 'giving attention' in the 14th century to the modern meaning of 'being present' by the late 15th century. This shift reflects a tangible, observable outcome (presence) from the earlier abstract concept of mental focus. In modern Western business and academic cultures, maintaining a perfect or high 'attendance record' is often a formal requirement and a key metric for reliability.
Meaning 2：number present (attendance)
attendance
/əˈtendəns/
n.
The number of people who are present at an event or place.
number present
➕
number present
n.
This refers to the total count or number of individuals who are present at a specific event, venue, or gathering.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
The concert was a huge success, with an attendance of over ten thousand people.
The concert achieved great success, drawing a crowd of more than ten thousand attendees.
🔗 Collocations
record attendance – the highest number of people ever present
average attendance – the typical number of people present
boost attendance – to increase the number of people present
Wordbook
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