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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

passer en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ˈpɑːsə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ˈpæsəɹ/ (US)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *peth₂-der. Proto-Italic *pattus Latin passus Proto-Italic *-āzi ▲ Latin -ereinflu. Latin -āre Vulgar Latin *passāre Old French passerbor. Middle English passen English pass Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English passer From pass + -er.

Meanings

  1. One who succeeds in passing a test, etc.
    • The distributions of scores on the exam for passers and failers are plotted […] 2008, David L. Streiner, Geoffrey R. Norman, Health Measurement Scales:
  2. One who passes something along; a distributor.
    • a passer of counterfeit banknotes
  3. Someone who passes, someone who makes a pass.
    • A superb passer of the ball, we expected him to wipe the floor with the opposition. 1991, Rex Mossop, The Moose That Roared, Sydney: Ironbark Press, page 157:
  4. Someone who passes, someone who makes a pass. ▸ A football player who makes a forward pass, who may be (but not limited to) the quarterback.
  5. (informal) A passed pawn.
  6. (archaic) One who passes; a passer-by.
    • Passers stopped and began to stare. A policeman was approaching up the street. Dave dodged back into the cab and banged the door. 1904, National Magazine, volume 20, page 147:
    • There was a promise of it in the gorgeous purity of the western sky; there was an intimation in the mild, unimpertinent gaze of the passers of a certain natural facility in things. 1878, Henry James, The Europeans:
  7. One who is able to "pass", or be accepted as a member of a race, sex or other group to which society would not otherwise regard them as belonging.
    • Passers and would-be passers make every effort to be convincing in their chosen gender role […] 2014, Risa Bear, Homecomings, page 69:
    • Explores the history, literature, and sociology of passing, and provides case studies of six individuals who are "passers," including a black man who passed as a white Jew and a lesbian naval officer who passed as straight. 2003, Brooke Kroeger, Passing: When People Can't Be Who They Are:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
passers Number=Plur lexicographic

Relateds

flat passer · passer-by · gas passer · laissez-passer · buck-passer · passer-through

Translations (3)

fi passari (sports) · fi syöttäjä (sports) · de Passer m Passgeber (sports)