Standard Lemma guide

leaveism

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The practice of employees using flexitime and other leave entitlement schemes to take time off when they are in fact too unwell to go to work.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The practice of employees taking work away to complete outside of paid hours, e.g. at home or on holiday.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From the noun leave (“permission to be absent”) + -ism, coined in 2013 by Dr Ian Hesketh when researching wellbeing of UK police workers.