Skip to content

passant

passer-by, passerby

noun pah-SAHN Rare

Usage Note

Passant is also used as an adjective meaning 'busy' when describing streets — une rue passante ('a busy street'). The feminine form is passante. The phrase en passant ('in passing') is widely used in both French and English, including in chess.

Examples

"Un passant l'a aidée à trouver son chemin."

Natural Translation

A passer-by helped her find her way.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore French by topic