passant

[ pas-uhnt ]

/ ˈpæs ənt /

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adjective Heraldry.

(of a beast) represented as in the act of walking, with one forepaw raised.

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Origin of passant

1375–1425; late Middle English <Middle French, present participle of passer to pass; see -ant

Words nearby passant

Passaic, passalong, Passamaquoddy, Passamaquoddy Bay, passament, passant, passata, Passavant's cushion, pass away, passband, passbook

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use passant in a sentence

I may remark, en passant, that there is a large proportion of German population throughout Ohio.
The Indian in his Wigwam|Henry R. Schoolcraft
A workman may be honest to a certain extent, and venture in, en passant, to papa Desnoyers's.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. 13, Issue 377, June 27, 1829|Various
J'admire vos talens; je m'amuse de vos rveries qui (soit dit en passant) vous occupent trop et trop longtemps.
Life and Correspondence of David Hume, Volume II (of 2)|John Hill Burton
Some places are like some women, charming, en passant, but intolerable upon close acquaintance.
In the Days of My Youth|Amelia Ann Blandford Edwards

Mr. Pike did not reach the fort till the next morning about ten, I will say en passant.
Audubon and his Journals, Vol. 2|Maria R. Audubon

British Dictionary definitions for passant

passant

/ (ˈpæsənt) /

adjective

(usually postpositive) heraldry (of a beast) walking, with the right foreleg raised

Word Origin for passant

C14: from Old French, present participle of passer to pass

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