en passant

American  

[ahn pa-sahnt, ahn pah-sahn] / ˌɑn pæˈsɑnt, ɑ̃ pɑˈsɑ̃ /

adverb

1. (italics) in passing; by the way.

2. Chess. (used when a pawn that has moved two squares is captured by an opponent's pawn commanding the square that was passed.)

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en passant British  

/ ɒn pæˈsɑːnt, ɑ̃ pasɑ̃ /

adverb

1. 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

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Etymology

Origin of en passant

First recorded in 1655–65

Example Sentences

He neither relies on voiceovers nor films them obliquely à la Polanski, who gives us the poetry en passant.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2022

Have pretty women, attractive men, guests who are en passant, the flavor of another language.

From Slate • Nov. 6, 2013

She stated that East could ruff with the heart jack and return a heart to dummy’s ace, but either lead would then allow South to score her heart nine with a coup en passant.

From New York Times • Jul. 21, 2013

I note, en passant, that Wodehouse, an essentially Edwardian writer, must have been familiar with the Beatrix Potter story for children, "The Tale of Pigling Bland".

From The Guardian • Jan. 7, 2013

Wisby, en passant, may be described as a merchant town of great importance in the medi�val period, and whence we have derived our navigation laws.

From Notes and Queries, Vol. IV, Number 100, September 27, 1851 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Various