The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Absently \Ab"sent*ly\, adv. In an absent or abstracted manner. [1913 Webster]WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
absently adv 1: in an absentminded or preoccupied manner; "he read the letter absently" [syn: absently, abstractedly, inattentively, absentmindedly]