passage

¹ American  

[pas-ij] / ˈpæs ɪdʒ /

noun

1. a portion or section of a written work; a paragraph, verse, etc..

   a passage of Scripture.

2. a phrase or other division of a musical work.

3. Fine Arts. an area, section, or detail of a work, especially with respect to its qualities of execution.

   passages of sensitive brushwork.

4. an act or instance of passing from one place, condition, etc., to another; transit.

5. the permission, right, or freedom to pass.

   to refuse passage through a territory.

6. the route or course by which a person or thing passes or travels.

7. a hall or corridor; passageway.

8. an opening or entrance into, through, or out of something.

   the nasal passages.

9. a voyage by water from one point to another.

   a rough passage across the English Channel.

10. the privilege of conveyance as a passenger.

    to book passage on an ocean liner.

11. the price charged for accommodation on a ship; fare.

12. a lapse or passing, as of time.

13. a progress or course, as of events.

14. the enactment into law of a legislative measure.

15. an interchange of communications, confidences, etc., between persons.

16. an exchange of blows; altercation or dispute.

    a passage at arms.

17. the act of causing something to pass; transference; transmission.

18. an evacuation of the bowels.

19. an occurrence, incident, or event.

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verb (used without object)

passaged, passaging

1. to make a passage; cross; pass; voyage.

passage ² American  

[pas-ij, puh-sahzh] / ˈpæs ɪdʒ, pəˈsɑʒ /

noun

1. a slow, cadenced trot executed with great elevation of the feet and characterized by a moment of suspension before the feet strike the ground.

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verb (used without object)

passaged, passaging

1. (of a horse) to execute such a movement.

2. (of a rider) to cause a horse to execute such a movement.

verb (used with object)

passaged, passaging

1. to cause (a horse) to passage.

passage ¹ British  

/ ˈpæsɪdʒ /

noun

1. a channel, opening, etc, through or by which a person or thing may pass

2. music a section or division of a piece, movement, etc

3. a way, as in a hall or lobby

4. a section of a written work, speech, etc, esp one of moderate length

5. a journey, esp by ship

   the outward passage took a week

6. the act or process of passing from one place, condition, etc, to another

   passage of a gas through a liquid

7. the permission, right, or freedom to pass

   to be denied passage through a country

8. the enactment of a law or resolution by a legislative or deliberative body

9. an evacuation of the bowels

10. rare an exchange or interchange, as of blows, words, etc (esp in the phrase passage of arms )

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passage ² British  

/ ˈpæsɑːʒ, ˈpæsɪdʒ /

noun

1. a sideways walk in which diagonal pairs of feet are lifted alternately

2. a cadenced lofty trot, the moment of suspension being clearly defined

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verb

1. to move or cause to move at a passage

Etymology

Origin of passage¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old French, equivalent to pass(er) “to cross, go through” + -age noun suffix; see origin at pass, -age

Origin of passage²

First recorded in 1750–60; from French verb passager, variant of passéger, from Italian passeggiare “to walk, stroll”; see pace ¹

Explanation

Passage describes the act of passing or traveling from one place to the next. People often use the word passage to specifically refer to a journey by ship, as in, "The passage to America was long and hard." A section of written work or music can also be called a passage. You can think of a passage of music as moving the listener from one part of the piece to the next. And, finally, you can call a path a passage or passageway, especially when it's narrow. A street is not a passage, but the little tunnel behind the secret door in your closet is certainly a passage.

Example Sentences

The biblical passage recounts how the serpent, typically interpreted as the devil in Christian theology, tempted Eve to sin by eating the forbidden fruit.

From Salon • May 17, 2026

The bridges will offer safe passage for wildlife near Joshua Tree National Park, where the highway disrupts the habitat for deer and other animals.

From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026

In the decade prior to the bill’s passage, agricultural groups have joined clean-energy advocates in support of the measure, seeing it as a way to boost domestic corn consumption.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

But passage through Panama is not a choice all ships can make.

From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026

I hovered in the passage between the shop and the back room, waiting to hear what the matchmaker had to say.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

• clause
• paragraph
• portion
• quotation
• reading
• section
• sentence
• text
• transition
• verse