odsutnost

1. absence
   Za vreme moje odsutnosti kolega će vas zameniti. — A colleague will stand in for you during my absence.
   Zbog odsutnosti direktora sastanak je odložen. — The meeting was postponed because of the director's absence.
2. (of a person's state) absent-mindedness; abstraction
   Primetila je njegovu odsutnost tokom celog razgovora. — She noticed his absent-mindedness throughout the conversation.

In speech "odsustvo" is more frequent; it also means "leave" (e.g. porodiljsko odsustvo).