Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

passant

American  
[pas-uhnt] / ˈpæs ənt /

adjective

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


passant British  
/ ˈpæsənt /

adjective

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of passant

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


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

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

Most charmingly, there is an array of heraldic beasts: lions passant, dragons rampant, griffins segreant and more.

From New York Times ● Dec. 23, 2010

One is the number of en passant errors and omissions.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 11, 2010

Guenever looked upon the six lioncels passant regardant —they were marching along with red tongues and daws, winking pertly over their backsides and waving their flame- tipped tails.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 14,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training