pas

American  

[pah] / pɑ /

noun

plural

pas

1. a step or series of steps in ballet.

2. right of precedence.

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pas ¹ British  

/ pɑ, pɑː /

noun

1. a dance step or movement, esp in ballet

2. rare the right to precede; precedence

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PA's ² British  

plural noun

1. mountaineering a type of rock boot

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PAS ³ British  

abbreviation

1. physician-assisted suicide: a practice in which a terminally-ill person requests a medical practitioner to administer a lethal dose of medication

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Etymology

Origin of pas

1695–1705; < French < Latin passus. See pace ¹

Example Sentences

But sometimes that meant his aides had the job of risk management, having to explain statements that appeared to be a departure from what the Pope had previously said or a diplomatic faux pas.

From BBC

For centuries, appearing in public without the proper headgear was a faux pas.

From The Wall Street Journal

And then there is “faux pas,” which is an embarrassing blunder or lapse of good manners.

From Literature

Mr. Kerrigan’s faux pas could have been worse: He could have told his daughter that she was “one in a million”—which, in this country, means there are 347 others just like her.

From The Wall Street Journal

The perplexed look on her face instantly confirmed the faux pas.

From The Wall Street Journal