rite of passage

American  

noun

1. Anthropology. a ceremony performed to facilitate or mark a person's change of status upon any of several highly important occasions, as at the onset of puberty or upon entry into marriage or into a clan.

2. any important act or event that serves to mark a passage from one stage of life to another.

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rite of passage British  

/ rit də pɑsaʒ /

noun

1. a ceremony performed in some cultures at times when an individual changes his status, as at puberty and marriage

2. a significant event in a transitional period of someone's life

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Etymology

Origin of rite of passage

First recorded in 1955–60

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rite of passage

Attending university has traditionally been a rite of passage that involves moving away from home and transitioning into an independent life.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

Such journeys have become a rite of passage for the millions of tourists who island-hop through Greece every summer, dreaming of beaches, parties and feta.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

"They were just going over to have a bit of fun and just doing the rite of passage that every, you know, child or teenager does. So that outcome was just devastating."

From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026

The stores sell dresses for proms, special occasions and quinceañeras, a Latin American rite of passage celebrating a young girl’s 15th birthday and her transition to adulthood.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026

In those days, working in the mines was almost as much of a rite of passage as circumcision school, a myth that helped the mine- owners more than it helped my people.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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