[tru.ant] n [ME, vagabond, idler, fr. OF, vagrant, of Celt origin; akin to OIr trogan wretch, truag wretched] (15c): one who shirks duty; esp: one who stays out of school without permission
[2]truant adj (1561) 1: shirking responsibility
2: being, resembling or characteristic of a truant [3]truant vi (1580): to idle away time esp. while playing truant