Absolute in Different Languages
Discover 'Absolute' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'absolute' carries with it a sense of completeness, finality, and inherent power. It is often used to describe something that is not dependent on any other thing for its existence or value. This concept has been explored and valued across various cultures and disciplines, from philosophy to mathematics, making it a significant term with a wide range of applications.
Throughout history, the idea of 'absolutes' has been a subject of debate among philosophers and scholars. In the 17th century, French philosopher René Descartes argued for the existence of 'clear and distinct' ideals, which he believed were absolute truths. Meanwhile, in mathematics, the concept of 'absolute value' allows us to quantify the distance between two numbers, regardless of their position on the number line.
Given the term's cultural importance and historical context, understanding the translation of 'absolute' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how various cultures have approached and understood this concept. Here are a few examples:
- French: absolu
- Spanish: absoluto
- German: absolut
- Italian: assoluto
- Chinese: 绝对 (jiéduì)
- Japanese: 絶対 (zettai)
Absolute
Absolute in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | absoluut | ||
| "Absolute" came to Afrikaans via Dutch, and is originally from Latin where it means "untied, loose," hence the second meaning in Afrikaans of "completely drunk, plastered, sloshed". | |||
| Amharic | ፍፁም | ||
| The Amharic word "ፍፁም" (absolute) originated as a noun meaning "separation" and also means "entire". | |||
| Hausa | cikakke | ||
| "Cikakke" is a Hausa word that has multiple meanings, including "complete", "entire", and "perfect." | |||
| Igbo | zuru oke | ||
| The Igbo phrase 'zuru oke' can also refer to an apex or the highest point. | |||
| Malagasy | tanteraka | ||
| The word "tanteraka" originates from the Proto-Austronesian root "*tanəq", meaning complete or finished. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mtheradi | ||
| The word "mtheradi" can also refer to a person who is very stubborn or uncompromising. | |||
| Shona | mhedziso | ||
| The word 'mhedziso' in Shona is also used to refer to the act of finalizing or completing something. | |||
| Somali | waadax ah | ||
| The word "waadax ah" can also mean "perfect" or "complete" in this context. | |||
| Sesotho | feletseng | ||
| The word "feletseng" in Sesotho can also mean "a person who is highly respected and held in high regard" | |||
| Swahili | kabisa | ||
| The word "kabisa" in Swahili can also mean "completely" or "thoroughly". | |||
| Xhosa | ngokupheleleyo | ||
| The word "ngokupheleleyo" can also mean "thoroughly" or "completely" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yoruba | idi | ||
| The word "idi" in Yoruba also means "a person who is very stubborn or inflexible." | |||
| Zulu | ngokuphelele | ||
| "Ngqongqophelele," meaning "absolute" in Zulu, also means "perfectly complete" or "without exception." | |||
| Bambara | absolute (dafalen) ye | ||
| Ewe | bliboe | ||
| Kinyarwanda | byuzuye | ||
| Lingala | absolu | ||
| Luganda | ekituukiridde | ||
| Sepedi | e feletšego | ||
| Twi (Akan) | koraa | ||
Absolute in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مطلق | ||
| In Arabic, "مطلق" (pronounced "mutlaq") can mean not only "absolute", but also "unconditional" and "unlimited". | |||
| Hebrew | מוּחלָט | ||
| In Hebrew, "מוּחלָט" (absolute) also means "forgiven". | |||
| Pashto | مطلق | ||
| The word "مطلق" (absolute) in Pashto also means "divorced" or "freed from obligations." | |||
| Arabic | مطلق | ||
| In Arabic, "مطلق" (pronounced "mutlaq") can mean not only "absolute", but also "unconditional" and "unlimited". | |||
Absolute in Western European Languages
| Albanian | absolute | ||
| In Albanian, "absolute" is often used to express totality or completeness. | |||
| Basque | absolutua | ||
| The Basque absolute is cognate to the Latin absolutus and related to absolution, absolve and absorb, all having the sense of 'freeing' or 'releasing'. | |||
| Catalan | absolut | ||
| In Catalan, "absolut" does not only mean "absolute", but also "completely", "wholly", or "totally". | |||
| Croatian | apsolutni | ||
| The word 'apsolutni' is derived from the Latin word 'absolutus', meaning 'freed from' or 'unrestricted'. | |||
| Danish | absolut | ||
| The Danish word "absolut" comes from the Latin word "absolutus", meaning "freed" or "completed; also can mean "pure" in the sense of "free from impurities". | |||
| Dutch | absoluut | ||
| In Dutch, "absoluut" can also mean "completely" or "undoubtedly". | |||
| English | absolute | ||
| "Absolute" derives from the Latin "absolutus," meaning "freed, distinct, or perfect." | |||
| French | absolu | ||
| In French, "absolu" is derived from the Latin "absolutus", meaning "unconditional" or "unrestricted". | |||
| Frisian | absolút | ||
| The word "absolút" also means "definitely" or "completely" in Frisian. | |||
| Galician | absoluto | ||
| "Absoluto" (absolute) in Galician comes from Latin "absolutus" (freed, acquitted), not from Latin "absolutus" (absolute), so its meaning is closer to "free" than "absolute". | |||
| German | absolut | ||
| In addition to its meaning as "absolute," "absolut" can also mean "pure" or "distilled" in German, when used in reference to alcohol. | |||
| Icelandic | alger | ||
| This word is used in Icelandic to describe something that is both absolute and necessary. | |||
| Irish | iomlán | ||
| The root "iom" appears in iomad, which means "many," and lán, which means "full". | |||
| Italian | assoluto | ||
| In music and grammar, 'assoluto' can refer to an independent or self-standing quality or construction. | |||
| Luxembourgish | absolut | ||
| In the Luxembourgish language, "absolut" is derived from French and can also have the meaning of "very", "completely". | |||
| Maltese | assoluta | ||
| The word "assoluta" is derived from the Latin word "absolutus", meaning "freed from" or "unbound". | |||
| Norwegian | absolutt | ||
| The word "absolutt" can also mean "completely" or "utterly" in Norwegian. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | absoluto | ||
| The word "absoluto" can also mean "straight" or "pure" in Portuguese. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | iomlan | ||
| "Iomlan" also means "perfect" or "complete" in Gaelic. | |||
| Spanish | absoluto | ||
| In Spanish, the word "absoluto" can also refer to distilled spirits like vodka or brandy. | |||
| Swedish | absolut | ||
| Absolut in Swedish also means vodka, from the brand Absolut Vodka. | |||
| Welsh | absoliwt | ||
| The Welsh word "absoliwt" is derived from the Latin "absolutus", meaning "freed, released, or finished". | |||
Absolute in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | абсалютны | ||
| Bosnian | apsolutni | ||
| The word "apsolutni" is borrowed from Latin "absolutus" meaning "freed" or "untied." | |||
| Bulgarian | абсолютен | ||
| The Bulgarian word "абсолютен" is derived from the Latin word "absolutus", meaning "loosened" or "freed". | |||
| Czech | absolutní | ||
| The root word "solut-" is linked etymologically to both "to loosen up, untie." and "to finish, make whole." | |||
| Estonian | absoluutne | ||
| "Absoluutne" (absolute) can also mean "perfect" in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | ehdoton | ||
| Ehdoton's alternate meanings include 'inevitable' and its etymology derives from 'ehto', meaning 'condition'. | |||
| Hungarian | abszolút | ||
| The Hungarian word "abszolút" can also mean "unconditional", "positive" or "in all respects." | |||
| Latvian | absolūts | ||
| The word "absolūts" in Latvian is derived from the German word "absolut" and the Latin word "absolutus," both meaning "absolute." | |||
| Lithuanian | absoliutus | ||
| "Absoliutus" derives from the Latin "ab solutus". Thus, it can also mean "separated" or "freed from". | |||
| Macedonian | апсолутно | ||
| The word "апсолутно" can also mean "completely" or "totally" in Macedonian. | |||
| Polish | absolutny | ||
| The Polish word "absolutny" can also mean "pure", an archaic form in English. | |||
| Romanian | absolut | ||
| In Romanian, "absolut" can also mean "perfect" or "unconditional". | |||
| Russian | абсолютный | ||
| The Russian word "абсолютный" can also be used figuratively to mean "perfect" or "ideal". | |||
| Serbian | апсолутни | ||
| The Serbian word for "absolute" derives from Latin and is cognate to the English "absolution," with meanings that range from the philosophical "unconditioned" to the colloquial "complete or utter" | |||
| Slovak | absolútna | ||
| "Absolútna" is derived from Latin "absolutus," meaning "freed, released," or "complete, perfect," and also means "completely true" or "unconditional" in Slovak. | |||
| Slovenian | absolutno | ||
| The word "absolutno" can also mean "absolutely" or "certainly" in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | абсолютний | ||
| The word "абсолютний" derives from the Latin "absolutus," meaning "freed from," and can also convey the meanings of "independent," "autonomous," or "unconditional." | |||
Absolute in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পরম | ||
| In Bengali, "পরম" can also mean "the highest or supreme," "the ultimate," or "the best possible." | |||
| Gujarati | સંપૂર્ણ | ||
| The word "સંપૂર્ણ" can also mean "complete" or "perfect" in Gujarati. | |||
| Hindi | पूर्ण | ||
| The word "पूर्ण" (absolute) also implies completeness, wholeness, or totality in Sanskrit and Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ | ||
| The word "ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ" (sampUrNa) also means "complete", "perfect", or "whole" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | കേവല | ||
| In Sanskrit, the term "kevala" refers to a state of isolation and detachment, while in Malayalam it connotes the notion of absoluteness. | |||
| Marathi | परिपूर्ण | ||
| The Marathi word "परिपूर्ण" shares the same Sanskrit etymology as the Hindi and Nepali terms, and also has the alternate meaning of "full". | |||
| Nepali | निरपेक्ष | ||
| The word निरपेक्ष has its roots in the Sanskrit words 'निर्' (without) and 'पेक्ष' (depend), denoting 'independence' or 'being self-contained'. | |||
| Punjabi | ਅਸੀਮ | ||
| The word 'ਅਸੀਮ' comes from the Sanskrit word 'असीम' (asim), meaning 'unbounded' or 'infinite'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | නිරපේක්ෂ | ||
| The word "නිරපේක්ෂ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "निरापेक्ष" (nirāpekṣa), meaning "independent" or "not dependent on anything else". | |||
| Tamil | அறுதி | ||
| ‘அறுதி’ means ‘final’ in Tamil and can also be an adverb meaning ‘totally’, ‘completely’ or ‘thoroughly’. | |||
| Telugu | సంపూర్ణ | ||
| The word "సంపూర్ణ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "sampurna", meaning "complete" or "perfect". | |||
| Urdu | مطلق | ||
| The Urdu word "مطلق" can also mean "divorced" or "unconditional". | |||
Absolute in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 绝对 | ||
| The character 绝 in "绝对" originally meant "to cut off". | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 絕對 | ||
| In Chinese philosophy, "絕對" can also mean the "Ultimate Oneness" or the "Absolute Principle". | |||
| Japanese | 絶対の | ||
| "絶対の" is a Japanese word that can also mean "unconditional", "permanent", or "certain". | |||
| Korean | 순수한 | ||
| The word 순수한 (absolute) is derived from the Chinese word 淳 (pure) and refers to the state of being unmixed or unadulterated. | |||
| Mongolian | үнэмлэхүй | ||
| "Үнэмлэхүй" is derived from the verb "үнэмлэх," meaning "to believe" or "to confirm," and signifies something that is "true" or "certain." | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အကြွင်းမဲ့အာဏာ | ||
Absolute in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | mutlak | ||
| "Mutlak" is derived from the Arabic word "mṭlaqo" meaning "free" or "unbound". It has meanings like "certain", "real", "genuine", and more. | |||
| Javanese | mutlak | ||
| The Javanese word "mutlak" can also mean "to be certain" or "to be undeniable". | |||
| Khmer | ដាច់ខាត | ||
| The word "ដាច់ខាត" ("absolute") is derived from the Sanskrit word "daśa", meaning "ten" or "complete", and "khāta", meaning "cut" or "ended". | |||
| Lao | ຢ່າງແທ້ຈິງ | ||
| Malay | mutlak | ||
| In Malay, 'mutlak' means 'unchangeable,' but it can also indicate the absence of something: a state of 'nothingness.' | |||
| Thai | แน่นอน | ||
| The word "แน่นอน" can also mean "certain" or "sure" | |||
| Vietnamese | tuyệt đối | ||
| The Vietnamese word "tuyệt đối" also means "completely" or "utterly". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ganap | ||
Absolute in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | mütləq | ||
| The word "mütləq" comes from the Arabic word "mutlaq", which means "unconditional" or "free of limitation". It can also mean "independent" or "unrestricted". | |||
| Kazakh | абсолютті | ||
| "Абсолютті" (absolute) in Kazakh can also mean "perfect" or "unconditional". | |||
| Kyrgyz | абсолюттук | ||
| The term "абсолюттук" is derived from the Latin "absolutus," meaning "unbound" or "free from restriction." | |||
| Tajik | мутлақ | ||
| An ancient meaning of "мутлақ" is "divorced". | |||
| Turkmen | mutlak | ||
| Uzbek | mutlaq | ||
| In Uzbek, the word "mutlaq" can also mean "perfect" or "unconditioned". | |||
| Uyghur | مۇتلەق | ||
Absolute in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | paʻa loa | ||
| "Paʻa loa" is a Hawaiian compound word meaning "absolute" or "firmly established." The word "paʻa" means "firm, set, or stable," while "loa" implies something that is "long, extended, or continuous." Together, these two words convey the idea of something that is firmly fixed in place or unyielding. | |||
| Maori | tino | ||
| Tino in Maori also means "core" or "root". | |||
| Samoan | aʻiaʻi | ||
| The word "aʻiaʻi" in Samoan can also refer to the concept of "totality" or "completeness." | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | ganap | ||
| The Tagalog word "ganap" may also refer to "complete" or "perfect". | |||
Absolute in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | absoluto ukaxa | ||
| Guarani | absoluto rehegua | ||
Absolute in International Languages
| Esperanto | absoluta | ||
| Esperanto 'absoluta' derives from the Latin 'absolutus', meaning 'complete' or 'perfect'. | |||
| Latin | absoluta | ||
| In Latin, "absoluta" is also used to refer to a verdict or a judgment that has been reached without appeal. | |||
Absolute in Others Languages
| Greek | απόλυτος | ||
| The word "απόλυτος" originally meant "loosed from" or "released from bonds" in ancient Greek. | |||
| Hmong | tsis | ||
| The word "tsis" can also refer to "completely" or "totally" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | mutleq | ||
| The Kurdish word "mutleq" also means "unconditional" and "universal". | |||
| Turkish | mutlak | ||
| In Ottoman Turkish, "mutlak" also meant "necessary" and "free from defect." | |||
| Xhosa | ngokupheleleyo | ||
| The word "ngokupheleleyo" can also mean "thoroughly" or "completely" in Xhosa. | |||
| Yiddish | אַבסאָלוט | ||
| In Yiddish, the word "אַבסאָלוט" ("absolute") can also be used to describe something that is very good or complete. | |||
| Zulu | ngokuphelele | ||
| "Ngqongqophelele," meaning "absolute" in Zulu, also means "perfectly complete" or "without exception." | |||
| Assamese | absolute | ||
| Aymara | absoluto ukaxa | ||
| Bhojpuri | निरपेक्ष बा | ||
| Dhivehi | މުޅިން މުޅިން | ||
| Dogri | निरपेक्ष | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | ganap | ||
| Guarani | absoluto rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | absoluto nga | ||
| Krio | absɔlɔb wan | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | ڕەها | ||
| Maithili | निरपेक्ष | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯦꯕꯁꯣꯜꯌꯨꯇꯦꯗ ꯑꯣꯏꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | absolute tih a ni | ||
| Oromo | absolute ta’e | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ସଂପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ | ||
| Quechua | absoluto nisqa | ||
| Sanskrit | निरपेक्षः | ||
| Tatar | абсолют | ||
| Tigrinya | ፍጹም ዝኾነ | ||
| Tsonga | ku hetiseka | ||