passport
Americannoun
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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.
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anything that ensures admission or acceptance.
A good education can be your passport to success.
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any authorization to pass or go somewhere.
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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.
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a certificate intended to secure admission.
noun
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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
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a licence granted by a state to a foreigner, allowing the passage of his person or goods through the country
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another word for sea letter
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a quality, asset, etc, that gains a person admission or acceptance
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of passport
First recorded in 1490–1500; earlier passeport from Middle French, equivalent to passe- (stem of passer to pass ) + port port 1
Explanation
A passport is a government-issued document you need to travel between countries. Americans must have a passport to travel out of the U.S., even if they're just going to Canada for the weekend. A passport is a small book that includes the name, nationality, and photograph of the person it belongs to. Its many pages are stamped each time you enter a new country. When you apply for a passport, you have to prove your identity and nationality, and have your picture taken. Colloquially, passport also means something that helps you get where you want to go: "This amusement part ticket is your passport to fun!"
Vocabulary lists containing passport
Greetings, World Traveler! — List 1
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Travel
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for April 9–April 15, 2022
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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.
Its current advice states: "Having a British passport or connections to the UK can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you."
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
Some other items, including a passport and cellphone, will be excluded from being used in the state case over the killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
Judge Gregory Carro ruled on Monday that certain evidence "must be suppressed, including the magazine, cellphone, passport, wallet and computer chip" found with Mangione at a Pennsylvania McDonald's.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
In addition to screening at airports, the CDC said it was implementing entry restrictions on non-US passport holders if they had traveled to Uganda, DRC or South Sudan within the past 21 days.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
By the age of three, Hugh was already carrying a diplomatic passport.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
