Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “passant” come from?

Passant comes from Old French passant, the present participle of passer meaning "to pass," ultimately derived from Latin passus, the past participle of pandere meaning "to spread or extend."

passant (English): Walking, usually to the right, and looking...

Definitions

  1. Walking, usually to the right, and looking...

Ancestry of “passant”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchpassantpresent participle of passer
2Frenchpassantpasser-by; loop; busy

Words derived from “passant”

  • counterpassant
Every word from French passant →