passerby

Or pass·er-by

[pas-er-bahy, -bahy, pah-ser-]

noun

plural

passersby 

1. a person passing by.

Word History and Origins

Origin of passerby¹

1560–70; pass by + -er ¹, with postposing of the particle

Example Sentences

Lewis, who had previously voiced Orwell for the international Talking Statues project — an app that lets passersby scan a QR code to hear historical figures “speak” — approached the feature-length performance with similar restraint.

From Los Angeles Times

“This? It’s an origami mask,” she said to an inquiring passerby.

From Los Angeles Times

As crowd control barricades began springing up and artist security personnel lingered outside the famed vinyl record shop, passersby and neighbors alike began to ponder what could be going on.

From Los Angeles Times

Their support was well rewarded as the mammoth dish later divided into individual portions and distributed to the huge crowd and passersby.

From BBC

However, the Houthis' military spokesman said the targets were civilian, adding that journalists and passersby were killed when the offices of two newspapers were hit.

From BBC

Related Words

• eyewitness 
• observer 
• onlooker 
• spectator