passage

UK: /ˈpæsɪdʒ/ US: /ˈpæsɪdʒ/ ,(pas′ij; also pə säzh′ for 2)

Inflections of 'passage' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

passages

v 3rd person singular

passaging

v pres p

passaged

v past

passaged

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pas•sage¹ /ˈpæsɪdʒ/   n. 

1. a section of a written, spoken, or musical work:
   [countable] a passage of Scripture.
2. an act or instance of passing from one place, etc., to another:
   [uncountable] the passage of motor vehicles.
3. the permission, right, or freedom to pass:
   [uncountable] promised safe passage out of his country.
4. [countable] a hall or corridor;
   passageway.
5. an opening or entrance into, through, or out of something:
   [countable] the nasal passages.
6. a progress or course, as of events:
   [countable* usually singular] the slow passage of time.
7. Government the process of making a bill into a law:
   [uncountable] Passage of the bill into law is by no means assured.

See-pass-¹.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pas•sage¹  (pas′ij), n., v., -saged, -sag•ing. 
n. 

1. a portion or section of a written work;
   a paragraph, verse, etc.:
   a passage of Scripture.
2. a phrase or other division of a musical work.
3. Fine Art an area, section, or detail of a work, esp. with respect to its qualities of execution:
   passages of sensitive brushwork.
4. an act or instance of passing from one place, condition, etc., to another;
   transit.
5. the permission, right, or freedom to pass:
   to refuse passage through a territory.
6. the route or course by which a person or thing passes or travels.
7. a hall or corridor;
   passageway.
8. an opening or entrance into, through, or out of something:
   the nasal passages.
9. a voyage by water from one point to another:
   a rough passage across the English Channel.
10. the privilege of conveyance as a passenger:
    to book passage on an ocean liner.
11. the price charged for accommodation on a ship;
    fare.
12. a lapse or passing, as of time.
13. a progress or course, as of events.
14. the enactment into law of a legislative measure.
15. an interchange of communications, confidences, etc., between persons.
16. an exchange of blows;
    altercation or dispute:
    a passage at arms.
17. the act of causing something to pass;
    transference;
    transmission.
18. Physiology an evacuation of the bowels.
19. an occurrence, incident, or event.

v.i. 

20. to make a passage;
    cross;
    pass;
    voyage.

• Old French, equivalent. to pass(er) to pass + -age -age
• Middle English 1250–1300

pas•sage²  (pas′ij, pə säzh′), n., v., -saged, -sag•ing. [Manège.]
n. 

1. Sport a slow, cadenced trot executed with great elevation of the feet and characterized by a moment of suspension before the feet strike the ground.

v.i. 

2. Sport (of a horse) to execute such a movement.
3. Sport (of a rider) to cause a horse to execute such a movement.

v.t. 

4. Sport to cause (a horse) to passage.

• Italian passeggiare to walk; see pace¹
• French passager (verb, verbal), variant of passéger
• 1790–1800

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

passage / ˈpæsɪdʒ/ noun

1. a channel, opening, etc, through or by which a person or thing may pass
2. a section or division of a piece, movement, etc
3. a way, as in a hall or lobby
4. a section of a written work, speech, etc, esp one of moderate length
5. a journey, esp by ship: the outward passage took a week
6. the act or process of passing from one place, condition, etc, to another: passage of a gas through a liquid
7. the permission, right, or freedom to pass: to be denied passage through a country
8. the enactment of a law or resolution by a legislative or deliberative body
9. an evacuation of the bowels
10. an exchange or interchange, as of blows, words, etc (esp in the phrase passage of arms)

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French from passer to pass