This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
en passant
[ ahn pa-sahnt; French ahn pah-sahn ]
/ ˌɑn pæˈsɑnt; French ɑ̃ pɑˈsɑ̃ /
Save This Word!
This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
adverb
(italics)French. in passing; by the way.
Chess. (used when a pawn that has moved two squares is captured by an opponent's pawn commanding the square that was passed.)
QUIZ
GOOSES. GEESES. I WANT THIS QUIZ ON PLURAL NOUNS!
Test how much you really know about regular and irregular plural nouns with this quiz.
Question 1 of 9
Which of the following nouns has an irregular plural form?
Origin of en passant
First recorded in 1655–65
Words nearby en passant
enough to sink a ship, enounce, Enovid, enow, en papillote, en passant, en pension, enphytotic, enplane, en plein, en plein air
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use en passant in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for en passant
en passant
/ (ɒn pæˈsɑːnt, French ɑ̃ pasɑ̃) /
adverb
in passing: in chess, said of capturing a pawn that has made an initial move of two squares to its fourth rank, bypassing the square where an enemy pawn on its own fifth rank could capture it. The capture is made as if the captured pawn had moved one square instead of two
Word Origin for en passant
C17: from French
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012