passport

[pas-pawrt, -pohrt, pahs-]

noun

1. an official document issued by the government of a country to one of its citizens and, varying from country to country, authorizing travel to foreign countries and authenticating the bearer's identity, citizenship, right to protection while abroad, and right to reenter their native country.

2. anything that ensures admission or acceptance.

   A good education can be your passport to success.

3. any authorization to pass or go somewhere.

4. a document issued to a ship, especially to a neutral merchant ship in time of war, granting or requesting permission to proceed without molestation in certain waters.

5. a certificate intended to secure admission.

passport

/ ˈpɑːspɔːt /

noun

1. an official document issued by a government, identifying an individual, granting him permission to travel abroad, and requesting the protection of other governments for him

2. a licence granted by a state to a foreigner, allowing the passage of his person or goods through the country

3. another word for sea letter

4. a quality, asset, etc, that gains a person admission or acceptance

Other Word Forms

• passportless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of passport¹

First recorded in 1490–1500; earlier passeport from Middle French, equivalent to passe- (stem of passer to pass ) + port port ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of passport¹

C15: from French passeport, from passer to _pass + _port ¹

Example Sentences

It follows officers confiscating his passport over the weekend after he attempted to attend the funeral of Kenyan politician Raila Odinga in the neighbouring country.

Read more on Barron's

Some people may qualify for a foreign passport through family ties to another country, such as Ireland or Italy.

Read more on MarketWatch

The chemistry between Hayes and Doncic has gotten so strong that Hayes is being recruited to join the Slovenian national team and said he is working on getting a Slovenian passport.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Mr. Martins’s first name was misspelled, the passport used had been canceled in 2021, and the visa type was wrong.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He was denied bail, had his passport and green card seized by authorities and was labelled a "foreigner likely to flee".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• authorization 
• key 
• license 
• permit 
• ticket 
• visa 
• warrant